Silver Sullivan: Light in the Dark
by Silvertikal
Summary: Slytherin. Friend. Cunning. Kind. Unafraid to help those she cares for, Silver Sullivan will find a way to solve almost any problem. Rated T for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**This story will be a long, multi-chaptered fic. It will most likely be slow going for a little while until the story picks up, but please bear with me. I'm posting this story because it's been rattling around in my brain for** ** _weeks_** **now and this is the beginning of it. Regardless of if I get followers on this story or not, I thank anyone who takes the time to read it. Please read and review if you feel like it; I'll post regardless and hope to have semi-regular posts. FYI this is a time travel fic, but the first part will be majority cannon with some minor changes to the plot to assist in my own character's development.**

 **I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER. The only thing I own is my own characters and my own ideas/subplots that are not cannon. Any further warnings will be posted in their respective chapters.**

Platform 9 ¾ was bustling with the young witches and wizards departing for Hogwarts and their families. One such child was eleven year old Silver Sullivan. Her sandy blond hair was tied into braids that swayed with each step as she headed towards the middle of the train. Once aboard, she searched for an empty compartment and settled down with a book. Making herself comfortable, she barely noticed the entrance of her other occupants until she heard a drawling voice bragging about his father. Glancing up, she saw a boy with a pointed face and pale blond hair flanked by two of the meanest looking boys she'd ever seen. Rolling her eyes, she went back to her book and the boys paid her no notice once a girl with a squashed nose like a pug started fawning over the blonde boy.

"I think it's absurd that Hogwarts even allows Mudbloods into the school. They're all so _stupid_ ," the blond boy drawled. It appeared he just noticed the other girl in the compartment when he says, "What do _you_ think, bookworm? Should Muggleborns be allowed to attend Hogwarts?" Without missing a beat, Silver replied, "Doesn't matter what I think. The headmasters have determined who attends Hogwarts for centuries and that's not likely to change anytime soon."

"Ha! I bet you're a Muggle born aren't you? Or half-blood at least since I've never seen you before and we purebloods all know each other. I'm Draco Malfoy. That's Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy. And you are..?"

Placing her book aside and looking him in the eyes, Silver replied, "Silver . Am I correct in guessing you will be in Slytherin?"

"Of course. Father says it's the best house. Ravenclaw's acceptable but can you imagine being sorted in Gryfindor or Hufflepuff? That'd be awful." His companions all nodded their agreement with Pansy crooning that he's so smart.

Silver stared at him a moment, then replied, "And do you always follow the opinions of your father? As far as I knew, all houses are respectable to be sorted into. I suppose everyone has their own opinions." Shrugging, she went back to her book, effectively dismissing them. "What's that you're reading? Probably some Muggle filth based on your attitude of things," Draco replied, snatching the book out of her hands. Silver leapt at him to attempt to grab it back but Goyle blocked her. " _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them?_ You're reading a school book on the train? Ha! You must be such a goody-two shoes, Sullivan. I bet you can't even do simple spells yet. Father has let me practice a few, to get me ahead of my peers." Draco threw the book back at her, which she caught while glaring at him.

"You shouldn't take what isn't yours, Malfoy. Bug off and let me read. I heard Harry Potter is somewhere on the train. Why don't you taunt him if you're bored?" Silver snappily replied, going back to her book with a huff. A couple minutes later, the boys left in search of Harry, while Pansy left to meet with her other friends, leaving Silver alone in the compartment once more. She used the time to change into her robes. Not long after, a nervous looking boy knocked on her compartment asking if she'd seen a toad. When she shook her head no, the boy sadly moved on. The sweet trolley came by as well, but she hadn't gotten anything.

The boys returned, with Malfoy constantly chattering about how much he knows about Hogwarts and the magic world. Silver listened but pretended to ignore him so that he didn't get a boost in his ego from having someone other than the two brutes that were his friends listening to him. Shortly after, they arrived at the Hogsmeade station. They heard a voice calling "Fir' years! Fir' years over here!" Malfoy muttered something about the groundskeeper being a big unintelligent oaf. Silver ignored him and headed towards the boats, grateful when she ended up on a boat separate from him. Instead, there was the nervous-looking boy from the train, a black boy, and boy with a thick Irish accent. The black boy and the Irish boy were talking animatedly to each other, clearly becoming fast friends. They introduced themselves as Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan, respectably. The third boy was Neville Longbottom. "Did you ever find your toad, Neville?" Silver asked. "No, I hadn't. Gran's going to be furious with me if she finds out I lost him," Neville relied, seeming a bit scared of the outcome. "I find that lost things tend to find themselves as soon as you stop looking," Silver replied with a grin. Neville shyly grinned back. They all became awestruck as the castle came into view. Once they landed, they were greeted by a stern looking witch who introduced herself as Professor McGonagall. Midway through her speech, a toad appeared near her feet. Neville launched forward, calling out, "Trevor!" and captured the toad in his hands. Professor McGonagall looked down at him sternly as he nervously backed away.

Once her speech was completed, she led them to a room to wait while the other students settled. Leading the first years into the Great Hall, they all clustered in front of a stool with a ragged hat sitting upon it. He sung his song, and the students began to be sorted, starting with "Abbot, Hannah," who was sorted into Hufflepuff. Draco, as Silver predicted, was immediately sorted into Slytherin. Seamus was sorted into Gryffindor, as well as a bushy haired girl named Hermione. Neville was sorted into Gryffindor, much to his surprise based on his face. He ran off with the hat for a moment until he rushed back and handed it back to Professor McGonagall. Harry Potter was called, and the anticipation could be felt throughout the hall. After a bit of time, he was sorted into Gryffindor. Finally, Silver was called. As she approached, she thought she saw a flicker of shock grace Professor McGonagall's eyes, but it passed so quickly Silver dismissed it. As the hat was placed upon her head, she awaited in anticipation until she heard a soft voice in her ear. _Hmm where to place you? Quick witted, plenty of courage, loyalty nearly to a fault. I see you're a hard worker and you have quite a bit of deviousness in you, though you do well to hide it out of fear. You would do well in any house, I think. I have sorted many children over the centuries, but I've only had one other that has been this equal._ The hat paused in his musing. Silver just let it, figuring it knew best. Several minutes passed as it thought, and Silver could tell the Hall was getting a bit restless waiting for her sorting. Finally, the hat spoke to her again, nearly making her jump as she was lost in her own thoughts. _You would do well in any house, but I think it will benefit you most to be in "_ SLYTHERIN!" Silver accepted the hat's choice and calmly placed the hat onto the stool. She caught sight of Draco's surprise before he hid it behind a smirk. She was accepted to the table with relatively happy applause.

Once the feast was over and Headmaster Dumbledore said his parting words, each house separated to go to their respective dorms. As they were walking to the dungeons, Draco said to Silver, "I'm surprised you're in Slytherin, miss goody-two shoes. I never would have thought someone with such neutral opinions on blood status could _ever_ be a Slytherin. You better not make our house look bad."

"The only one who will make our house look bad is you, Malfoy, if you don't learn how to shut your trap when you make assumptions about someone. I don't need a pompous git telling me where I should have been placed, especially if he's judging me based on one encounter on the train," Silver replied coolly. She then tuned out whatever he said in retort, focusing on the near-labyrinth like path of the dungeons leading to the entrance of their common room.

The password, which was "Salazar," was spoken by the prefect who was leading them, and the wall opened into the common room. The room was adorned in dark but comfy looking couches and deep green drapes hung across the enchanted windows that showed the inside of the lake. The prefect led them to their rooms, boys on the right, and girls on the left. Silver followed Millicent Bulstrode, Pansy, Tracey Davis and Daphne Greengrass to their room. Each of their trunks had been placed at the end of their canopied beds. Each of them got ready for bed, with Pansy, Daphne, and Tracey chattering to each other about who they saw at the feast they thought were cute. Millicent and Silver ignored them and pulled their curtains closed. Silver heard Millicent fall asleep nearly right away, with her deep breathing bordering snoring. Soon after, the other girls went to sleep as well. Silver stayed up for a little while longer, writing in her journal about the day's events until she, too, fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's the first week of school. Keep in mind that since I'm assuming the majority of you have read the books (if you haven't yet and you're reading fanfiction instead, shame on you :p) the timing will not match JK Rowling's and I will gloss over certain parts of the original plot so you know where I am in school years. Please read and review (not that it'll prevent me from posting) and enjoy!** **J**

The next day, classes began. It started with Potions with the Gryffindor's for Silver, where Professor Snape picked on Harry. Each class that week following was uneventful, save learning magical spells and charms. Once the flying lesson occurred, it became apparent that Harry was an incredibly skilled flier once he caught Neville's Rememball which was speeding through the air. After Harry left with Professor McGonagall, Draco could be heard snickering about how Harry would probably be expelled, but Silver suspected she'd surprise them all (since Silver had a talent for reading people and knew McGonagall was hiding her giddiness).

Silver took a trip to the Hospital Wing to check on Neville. They had spoken a few times throughout the week and she had already grown to care about the boy, even if he were still a bit hesitant because she was a Slytherin. When she arrived, she spotted him resting on one of the beds, looking out the window.

"Hi, Neville," she said, trying not to startle him. "Oh. Silver, hi. What are you doing here?" he asked cautiously. "I came to check on you. Broken bones are rubbish but I suppose magical healing's a bit faster and less painful than what I'm used to. Here, I brought you some chocolate," Silver replied with a smile.

"Um, thank you," Neville replied, surprised. He didn't eat it though. Then, he asked, "Have you broken a bone before?"

"Yeah, I've broken a couple ribs, a finger, and my wrist in the past three years. Living with Muggles means I had to heal the Muggle way—slowly and painfully," she shrugged to show it wasn't a big deal to her. "The chocolate's not poisoned, by the way. If you don't believe me, give me a piece," she added. Neville's eyes grew wide at her admission, but he handed her the chocolate back anyways. Breaking off a piece, she popped it in her mouth and sighed contentedly, handing it back to him. Seeing no adverse effects, Neville took a piece and popped it in his mouth, chewing slowly. His eyes brightened when the taste hit him. "Merlin, this is good. It's even better than Honeyduke's and they have the best chocolate ever. Where'd you get it?"

"There's a small sweet shop not too far from where I lived. I stocked up before I came here in case I get a chocolate craving, which happens a lot. Plus, I won't be able to go back for a long while. Hm, I wonder if they do mail order? It's something to look into over the summer, I suppose," she replied. "I guess Honeyduke's the sweet shop in Hogsmeade? I've never been myself, but I heard Draco bragging about the treats he got sent from his mum from there."

Neville nodded his confirmation followed by, "Yeah it's in Hogsmeade. Gran sometimes gets me stuff from there, since she's partial to their sugar mice. So you grew up with Muggles? Does that mean you're Muggle born? I mean, I don't care either way. There's a girl in my house who's Muggle born and she's absolutely brilliant. I'm just asking."

Silver smiled at him and replied, "I think that's the nicest way anyone's ever asked me my blood status. Most people in Slytherin, particularly Malfoy, have made the assumption that I'm at least half-blood since no one knows me. However, I'm actually pureblood. My mom graduated from here, while my Dad graduated from the American school Ilvermorny. Mum died when I was born. Dad took off once my powers manifested and I ended up in foster care. I still don't know why he left, but he sends money every few years, so at least he knows I exist." She paused for a moment as she read Neville's expression of slight fascination and curiosity.

"Huh, you're easy to talk to. I haven't told anyone that bit since I got here. Guess you're special, Nev. How do you like the classes so far?"

"Oh, um they're all right, I guess. I'm rubbish at all and everyone tells me I'm a failure so I suppose I am," Neville replied a bit sadly.

"Nonsense! No one can judge you based on only a week of knowing you, at least not school-wise. I think anyone can be anything they want to be if they put their mind to it. Hey, how about this? You and I can meet in the library a couple times a week and we can study together." Seeing his slightly widened eyes, she added awkwardly, "Or not. I guess we can just study separately and see each other in class or something."

There was a few minutes of silence as Neville stared at her, trying to gauge if she was serious or not. Then, "You want to study with me? But no one wants to study with me. I'm dumb."

"I highly doubt that, Neville. Crabbe and Goyle are dumb. You just lack confidence and study skills. I can help you with that, and we can each find our own strengths and weaknesses. If you're worried about being seen studying with a Slytherin, we can always find a table in the stacks rather than in the main area or something," she replied.

"Well, all right then. Sure. Um, how about Saturday for our first session, then we can arrange a more regular schedule. Does nine work?" he asked.

"Mhm, it does. I should leave you be to rest and stuff. Feel better. I'll see you tomorrow, Neville."

With those parting words, Silver walked out of the hospital wing with a slight spring to her step, happy to have made a new friend. Neville watched her leave, perplexed but with a smile on his face. He was looking forward to the upcoming Saturday.


	3. Chapter 3

Once their first study session went well, Neville and Silver met two to three times a week, in addition to sitting next to each other in the classes they shared. They tended to get some weird looks but generally they were left alone. Before either of them knew it, it was Halloween. Although Silver didn't share Charms class with the Gryffindors (she had Transfiguration during that time) she saw the encounter of Ron Weasley talking snidely about Hermione Granger being an insufferable know it all who has no friends. Silver followed after her towards the bathroom after exchanging a worried glance with Neville. She could hear Hermione sobbing quietly in one of the stalls, but didn't say anything for a long while. Internally debating with herself, Silver murmured quietly the spells she had been learning in Transfiguration, attempting to draw Hermione's attention that there was someone else in the bathroom.

The sobbing stopped abruptly; clearly Hermione had held her breath to stifle the sobs. Knowing that Hermione was now aware she was there, Silver muttered the spells louder, making sure that Hermione could hear her as she asked herself, "I know there's something else we've learned so far. I've gotten the match to needle and the switching spell, but what's the incantation for turning a mouse into a snuffbox?" She muttered a few incantations to herself, making sure it's loud enough for Hermione to hear but quiet enough that she wouldn't think it's on purpose. Silver could nearly hear the debate going on in Hermione's head as to whether she should help her or not, it was so tense. Finally after a couple minutes of Silver muttering to herself, Hermione said in a slightly muffled voice the correct spell needed, followed by the wand direction. Silver heard her, obviously recognizing her voice since she knew Hermione's voice through class despite the fact it was muffled. "Oh wow, thanks Hermione! It's been driving me mad since class ended. Everything all right? You sound muffled," Silver said a bit worriedly.

When she got no response except a sniffle, she knocked on Hermione's stall gently. Hermione slowly opened up the door, clearly ashamed to be caught crying even though her tears had dried while Silver was muttering to herself. "Hermione? Why have you been crying?" Silver asked in a concerned voice, being sure to make her face match her voice. She saw Hermione hesitate, and then she replied, "Ron called me a nightmare that no one likes. Then proceeded to say it was no wonder I had no friends."

"Well Ron Weasley is a git," Silver promptly replied. A small giggle escaped her, but she quickly sobered, saying "Maybe, but he's right. I don't have any friends and no one likes me because I eagerly participate in class. I want to learn as much as I can and come off as a know it all. I was just trying to help him get the spell right."

"There's nothing wrong with wanting to learn. I think I give you a run for your money as far as studies go. I just choose not to participate in class as much because I don't like public speaking," Silver replied.

"The girls make fun of me too, the ones in my house, because I'm not very pretty," Hermione admitted in a small voice. "I don't even know why I'm telling you this either. You'll probably just gossip with the other girls and think of more reasons why I'm pathetic," she continued.

"Well you don't know me, Granger, if you think that," Silver replied, making sure to keep bite out of her voice despite using her surname. "Those girls are barmy if they don't think you're pretty. And you're more intelligent than all of them combined, I bet. They're just jealous that schoolwork comes so easily to you," she continued, handing her a paper towel to finish drying her tears. Hermione looked at her in slight shock, and then asked, "Why are you being so nice to me? You're a Slytherin, I'm a Gryffindor. We're supposed to hate each other."

"Well I think that's a load of codswallop. My best friend's a Gryffindor, and I've gotten some heat from my house for it. But I don't care if they call me weak or pathetic, just because I've befriended a Gryffindor. Nev makes my life better, even if I haven't told him that yet," Silver said smoothly. Pausing, she saw Hermione about to respond; she placed her hand up to prevent her, continuing with, "Besides, I've had my eye on you for a bit. Nev tells me you try to help him with his homework sometimes when I'm not around, and I wanted to thank you for that. We could always use another study partner. As brilliant as I think Nev is, he can't quite match my need for intelligent banter. Malfoy's useful in that regard, but he doesn't stop being a ponce frequently enough for it to be helpful. Maybe you could meet up with us for our study sessions? The next one is tomorrow after dinner. You can help us both with the mouse to snuffbox spell."

Hermione's eyes widened slightly at the information, before nodding. "I don't want to be a bother, though," she said uncertainly. "Nonsense. I appreciate another perspective anyways. Shall we head to the feast? I hear the Halloween feast is to be magnificent, and we don't want to spend the entire time here, do we?" Silver offered her hand to the Gryffindor, who hesitated minutely before taking it and letting herself be led by Silver to the Great Hall.

As they were heading there, though, they heard the rumble of something big behind them. They see the shadow of an extraordinarily large creature walking into the bathroom that they just vacated. Harry and Ron burst out of the hallway, nearly running into the two girls who are standing staring at the bathroom in perplexed shock. Gasping, Harry explains that there's a troll loose in the castle and that he'd been worried about Hermione not knowing about it. Wordlessly, Silver points behind them all (as she had remained facing the bathroom in anticipation of the large creature, the troll, emerging from it once it realized it was a dead end). The boys spin around slowly as they hear the panting of the troll behind them, confirming their worst fears. Immediately, the troll sees Hermione and attacks them with the giant club he wields, causing the four of them to scatter around the passageway.

Silver ends up being separated from the other three, in a deserted corridor. She hears Hermione scream from the next corridor over, and rushes over, drawing her wand as she goes. When she approaches, she sees Harry on top of the troll, his wand up the beast's nose. Hermione is huddled under a table, while Ron keeps trying to get the troll's attention by throwing debris at him. He draws his wand as well, and Hermione directs him on the levitation charm. He executes it perfectly, when the troll raises his club, it is suspended in midair. Thinking quickly, I levitate Harry off of the troll, placing him well out of the troll's range as the club comes tumbling down onto the troll's head, knocking it out. The resounding boom of the troll falling echoes through the deserted corridor. Harry takes his wand out of the troll's nose, wiping it on his robes with a disgusted look on his face. Hermione comes out of her hiding place and stands next to me, asking in a horrified whisper, "Is it dead?"

"I don't think so. I think it's just knocked out," Harry replied. Suddenly, Professors McGonagall, Snape, Quirrell, and Dumbledore appear from a passageway. When McGonagall demands an explanation, both Ron and Harry attempted to take the blame, but Hermione covered for them by saying she went looking for the troll in an attempt to further her education. Professor Snape quirked an eyebrow as he asked snidely, "And what is your role in all this, Miss Sullivan?"

"I was with Hermione. Although I warned her that hunting a mountain troll was dangerous, we both thought that learning more about them outweighed the risks. My apologies in my lapse of judgement, Professor Snape," Silver replied, not sounding ashamed even in the midst of Snape's judgmental glare. "Thirty points from Slytherin for your lack of judgment, Miss Sullivan," Professor Snape replied. Silver nodded her head in acceptance, while McGonagall removed points from Gryffindor for her students' error. However, to all of their surprise, she also granted ten points to both houses for taking on a full grown mountain troll on their own. The professors then dismiss the students, leaving Quirrell to deal with the troll. Once the four students reached the staircases, Silver hugged Hermione good night and waved to the boys, calling to Hermione to not forget to meet her in the library the next day for their study session. The Gryffindors headed towards their tower, with the boys questioning her about Silver's involvement in everything. Ron in particular was vocal about his distaste of all Slytherins, but stopped once Harry glared at him in annoyance. From that day on, the three of them became good friends. Silver became closer to Hermione through their study sessions, but whenever she tried to approach either Harry or Ron, they'd glare at her until she left.


	4. Chapter 4

Soon enough the Christmas holidays were well under way. Silver heard through Hermione that both Harry and Ron were staying for the holidays, but she would be going home. Silver also opted to stay for the holidays, despite Neville not staying. He had invited her, but she had declined because she wanted to attempt to get closer to Harry and Ron. Since Hermione had fast become her second best friend, she wanted to be at least on friendly terms with her other two friends.

As she approached the Great Hall, she passed Hermione, who wished her a Happy Christmas. Then she hesitated before she asked, "Silver, do you know who Nicholas Flamel is? I can't seem to find any information on him." Silver thought for a moment and replied, "I've heard the name, but I can't place it at the moment. Why?" Hermione brushed her off, since she had to leave to catch the train home, but said as she was walking away, "If you figure it out, tell the boys, please. It's for a research project I'm working on with them." Silver shook her head in disbelief at the notion of the boys voluntarily working on research and went to breakfast. To her surprise, Draco Malfoy had opted to stay for the holidays as well.

Taking a deep breath to prepare herself, she sat near Malfoy and said to him, "I'm surprised to see you here, Malfoy. I thought you had been bragging how amazing the holidays are at home, which this clearly isn't." She purposely kept her voice cool, but not biting, to prevent him from taking offense to her unspoken inquiry of why he was here. "Father is away on business, and mother is visiting some friends in France. She offered for me to accompany her, of course, but I didn't want to spend the holidays with a bunch of gossips. I have Parkinson for that," he replied, his eyes slightly narrowing when he realized his slip of tongue regarding his supposed friend. Pansy had been hanging off of his every word all year, most likely trying to win his favor. As far as Silver knew, he relished the attention she gave, and was surprised to learn he wasn't a major fan of her company.

"Shame," Silver replied, "I hear France is lovely this time of year. They light the Eiffel tower in an assortment of lights, as well as a few other monuments. I heard Daphne talking about it with Millicent yesterday. I've never been there, though."

Malfoy looked at her with slightly narrowed eyes before replying, "Paris is nice, but our manor in the countryside is nicer. There are extravagant gardens and a view to die for. Mother loves throwing parties there for all the pureblood families. Say, I'd never seen you at one, so you're clearly a half blood since Slytherin would never accept Mudbloods."

Silver replied with a slight edge to her voice, "Please refrain from using that awful derogatory word around me. Muggle-borns are no less of people because of their blood. It's not like they can help it." She could sense Malfoy was about to interject, but she cut him off with, "It's in your lessons from before Hogwarts so I doubt you'll ever fully understand the unfairness of your beliefs. I will say this though: you are not your parents, Draco. You're free to form your own opinions of people, hopefully based on merit rather than merely by their blood. My dad taught me about prejudice in the States that equates to nearly the same thing as the muggle-born stigma throughout purebloods." She paused, seeing that Malfoy was getting angrier by the second (even though he thought he had his mask of indifference on), before she continued, "Regardless of that fact, you are not a god among men, nor is your father. Yes, your father is influential because of his money and position within the Ministry, but he has flaws just the same as anyone. But that doesn't give you the right to flit about as if you own the place, because here at Hogwarts, it doesn't matter what your father can do beyond these walls. It matters what you do, and intimidating others because you believe you're better than them because of your money and father's power isn't an effective use of your time. You're a pompous brat who doesn't have any _real_ friends because all you've ever been taught is how to use people." Silver stopped, realizing that she had gotten far worked up than she had intended, and took a few deep breaths to try to calm herself. Malfoy glared at her as he replied snarkily, "Well I never asked you for your opinion, did I? You're a trollop who'd clearly rather be in Gryffindor with the company you keep with dunderhead Longbottom and _Mudbloods_ Granger. I have no idea why the Sorting Hat even placed you in Slytherin. You clearly don't share our ideals and I will personally make sure the whole school knows it. My father will hear about this, and he will ruin you outside these walls as well."

Silver glared right back at him, with a glare more intense and more deadly than he'd ever seen. It was so intense that he involuntarily flinched as he got the sinking feeling he had made a grave error in calculation. Silver said in a voice that could cut glass, "If you _ever_ refer to Hermione as a Mudblood again I will hex you so frequently you won't be able to walk for a month. I am not afraid of your father, as he has absolutely no power over anyone in my life. I'm also not afraid of you, slime, because I can fight you on several different levels it'll make your head spin. You do not want me as your enemy, because I will not play fair. I may not share the pureblood belief that other blood statuses are less, but I am every inch the Slytherin you are when I wish to be. Do not test me, Malfoy, unless you wish to be burned." She stood up and threw a book at him, saying, "Read it if you ever grow up, Malfoy. Maybe it'll make you realize you're a foul git." She then stormed out of the hall, shaking in anger.

Silver and Malfoy's fights became something well known throughout the rest of the school year. They fought even more frequently than Harry and Malfoy did, which is saying something since the two despised each other more than anyone else. Usually Silver and Malfoy's fights were verbal only, but true to her word, Silver sneakily hexed and jinxed Malfoy on a regular basis. The professors were perplexed by the animosity between the two, since they are of the same house, but Silver never got caught using spell work on Malfoy, although he'd been caught a couple times retaliating. Professor Snape was the only one who worked out who it was who kept hexing Malfoy, and he gave Silver detention with Malfoy to get them to work out their issues. However, much to both the Professor's and Malfoy's surprise she was completely cordial during the entire ordeal, working on scrubbing the cauldrons dutifully and not picking a fight with Malfoy. It was so convincing, that Snape reprimanded Malfoy for falsely accusing her of something she didn't do. Malfoy, needless to say, was furious about this. He then focused on getting Harry and Ron in trouble by following them while visiting Hagrid. This backfired, of course, because he landed in detention with them and Neville instead.


	5. Chapter 5

The animosity between Silver and Malfoy continued, although she started being more subtle with her jinxes and hexes since Snape was keeping a closer eye on her. By the end of the year, Malfoy was incredibly tired of Silver and stopped fighting. He attempted to corner in a corridor to confront her, but she evaded him. Finally, the end of term feast came around. Despite all of the fighting between Malfoy and Silver, Slytherin was in first place for the House Cup. Gryffindor ended up winning because of some last minute events that occurred (Harry going up against Voldemort, who was possessing Quirrell). Silver spent some time with Hermione, and gave Harry some of her favorite chocolate before they went their separate ways. Despite the friendship between Hermione and Silver, they didn't travel home in the same compartment on the Hogwarts Express. Silver sat with Neville and a couple Hufflepuffs in their year. Nearly halfway through the train ride home, Malfoy showed up at their compartment. "Sullivan, could I talk to you?" he asked in a voice devoid of his normal snark. She hesitated slightly as she coolly assessed him before agreeing and joining him in the corridor.

"What can I help you with, Malfoy?" she asked once they were in an empty compartment farther down the train.

"What will it take you to stop bugging me?" he asked, with a slight edge to his voice. Silver paused for a few seconds, reassessing him as she took in his appearance. His slicked back platinum hair was impeccable as always, but he looked a bit worn out. His cool grey eyes were edged with tiredness despite the haughty expression he always wore in other people's company.

"Promise to read the book I gave you before third year. And admit that I'm superior to you in some way. Or apologize for making assumptions about me because I choose not to talk about my family regularly," she replied.

"I'll read the bloody book. It probably won't be this summer since I'm travelling to Spain with my parents but I promise to read the bloody book if you'll just let up on the hexes and jinxes," Malfoy replied immediately.

"And?" Silver prompted. There was a long pause while Malfoy deliberated which option he'd take, when he replied, "You are superior to me in your sneaking abilities and cunning to weasel out of punishment with Snape on a regular basis. But that never leaves this room, got it? I'd never live it down if Father caught wind of that fact." They settled into an awkward silence until Silver said, "All right, I'll lay off the spell work, but I probably won't stop verbally sparring with you. It's far too much fun messing with you, Malfoy." There was a slight pause before she continued, "And not that it matters, but I am in fact pureblood. Mum was in Hufflepuff the same year as your mother, I believe. Dad is an American pureblood; his family immigrated to the States during the Potato Famine in Ireland. I choose not to speak of them often because Dad took off when I was six, and Mum passed away after I was born. Have a good summer, Draco. Try not to be a complete tosser next year." She waved her hand in farewell as she returned to her compartment. Draco stood there stunned for a few moments before he went back to his own compartment, determined to make the most of his summer.


	6. Chapter 6

The end of the summer was fast approaching, and with it was the yearly trip to Diagon Alley. Silver had been dropped off by her foster mom, a squib named Margie, and left to her own devices. Margie had never been comfortable in Wizarding London, as it was a world that shunned her for being non-magical within a magical family, so it was with little reluctance that she sent Silver off alone, despite her being twelve years old. Silver didn't mind, though, as it meant she could take all the time she wanted exploring Diagon Alley, as long as she was back to the Leaky Cauldron by 3. Wandering around, she spotted a bushy haired girl entering the cauldron shop. Smiling, she slipped in after her then pounced on the bushy haired girl, startling her into nearly dropping a set of scales she was holding. Silver stopped the scales from falling with a wave of her wand as the busy haired girl revealed herself to be Hermione. "Oh, Silver! You scared me out of my wits. Hey, you're _not_ supposed to do magic outside of school," Hermione reprimanded. "Would you rather I have let them fall and break? Then we'd probably have to pay for it," Silver responded cheekily. They tightly embraced, and then Hermione looked around the shop for the items on her list. Silver pulled out her own list and they shopped, chatting about their respective summers. Once done, Hermione pulled Silver over to where her parents were and introduced them.

"Hmm, the last stop I have is Flourish and Blotts. Harry and the Weasley were supposed to meet up with me before then, so I suppose I'll head to the Floo grate. Coming, Silver?"

"Nah, I have a couple of stops to make myself before the bookstore, but since there's the Lockheart autograph session today, would it be possible for you to grab my books so I don't need to deal with the overflowing crowd? I'll give you money," Silver replied. Hermione agreed and they arranged to meet back at the Leaky Cauldron later. Silver headed to Madame Millikan's to get new robes, as she had grown a couple inches over the summer. As she arrived inside the shop, she heard a slightly snooty voice complaining about the appearance of the robes he was adorning and being a general prat. Rolling her eyes, Silver joined him near the fitting area and cut him off, "I suppose my wish for you not to be a tosser will take more time than a mere summer, eh Draco?" Looking over his robes, she continued, "Besides your robes fit fine; I see they added a bit of extra green lining to the underside of it, so you should be happy with the over-extravagance needed to present yourself a the pureblood prince." Draco had jumped slightly at the sound of her voice, and then glared slightly until he shifted into a smirk. Appraising her appearance, he replied sarcastically, "Clearly you'd know extravagance, Sullivan, since your current ensemble is _dripping_ in it." She cocked an eyebrow, and then smirked in amusement at his comment before asking the sales clerk to pull her some robes. The two of them traded insults and praise befitting of a Slytherin conversation until Draco was completed with his fitting. With barely a farewell, he stalked off towards the bookstore.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully, save for Silver running into Harry and the Weasley on her way towards the Leaky Cauldron.

Following the arrival of September first, Silver headed for an empty compartment with her trunk. Pulling out a book, she awaited the inevitable arrival of someone asking to share her compartment. Her housemates Draco, Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Blaise joined her compartment and studiously ignored her presence, much the same as last year. Silver was looking out the window, half-listening to Pansy bragging about her family's trip to France when she saw a car dip out of the sky and fly alongside the train for a while. Eyes widening, she recognized the flash of Weasley red hair and Harry's messy hair before it ducked back up above the clouds. She suddenly left the compartment, startling her classmates in her haste. Draco mumbled, "If that doesn't prove she's mad, nothing else will."

Looking down the compartments, Silver frantically searched until she stumbled upon Hermione's compartment, who was sharing with a small redheaded girl, Neville, and the Weasley twins. Narrowing her gaze onto the twins, she asked, "Your father didn't happen to magic a car so it could fly, did he?"  
"Who? Ours? Never," Fred replied with a smirk. "But, what makes you ask pretty snake?"

"I just saw Harry and Ron in a flying car next to the train before dipping back up into the clouds! Why the hell aren't they on the train?" she responded angrily.

"Not sure; we were running a bit late-"

"As always-"

"So I reckon they got stuck behind the barrier and-"

"Did something reckless-"

"Like a true Gryffindor would," the twins finished, switching off in the conversation as if they had one brain.

"I need to get word to Hogwarts before those daft idiots do something even more stupid like run the car into the Whomping Willow and get themselves killed," Silver replied, rushing off again back to her compartment, where she used her newly purchased great horned owl to send a note to Hogwarts. As they are one of the fastest owls in the world, she hoped it would get to Hogwarts long before they arrived so that Dumbledore could make the necessary precautions. Once that was done, Silver became aware of the stares she was receiving from the other students in her compartment. Draco raised an eyebrow questioningly and asked, "So what was that about? Dashing around like a madwoman, then sending your owl out of a moving train like someone possessed."

"Stupid Gryffindor boys not thinking before they act and me trying to save their hides from getting killed is what happened," Silver replied huffily, dismissing any further conversation by stating, "We're almost there. We should probably change into our robes." She then left the compartment for the loo. When she returned, the remainder of them had changed and Draco and Blaise were adamantly talking about Quidditch. They arrived at Hogsmeade Station and followed the rest of the students towards the horseless carriages. However, upon seeing the carriages, Silver slowed down to admire the creatures pulling them. They were slightly morbid looking, but beautiful in their own way. She recalled that they were called thestrals, and ended up next to Neville, who had stopped to stare at the creatures too. Seeing her in his peripheral, he said, "Why are all the students acting like they're not there? We can see them." Silver replied in a slightly awed voice, "Thestrals can only be seen by those who've witnessed death. Come on, let's grab a carriage together." She grabbed his hand companionably and led him to a carriage. He went first and helped her up, much to her surprise. Thanking him, they chatted for the ride up to the castle while enjoying the change in view from last year.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi everyone! I'm sorry it's been so long since my last update, but honestly I forgot to keep up with it and then time got away from me. I'll try my best to be better. (psst reviews would probably help)**

 **Belatedly, I've realized that in the summary for this story I said I'd write A/N for each chapter, but really I'll only comment if I have something worthy to note. Some examples would be for warnings or if something will go severely off-cannon. Anyways, I hope you like this, and please review (it's appreciated).**

Upon arriving to the castle, Silver noticed Professors Flitwick and Snape heading towards the gates, which had just closed behind the entering students. Once inside, she said her goodbyes to Neville and headed to the Slytherin table, where she ended up at the end with Daphne and Pansy. The two of them were amicably talking about their summers, only bringing their conversation down to whispers once Silver approached. As the remainder of the students settled into their seats, Professor Flitwick returned to the table. Snape hadn't reappeared yet and Silver figured that he had been told to hold the boys until McGonagall could take care of their discipline. Shortly after Professor Flitwick returned, McGonagall strode in, followed by the first year students. The sorting hat had a new song, which Silver only half listened to as she took in the new students. As the sorting commenced, Silver played a game of trying to guess which house each of the students would be sorted into. A bit to her surprise, she got a lot of them right and smirked in satisfaction. The feast was wonderful, as usual, and Silver left the Great Hall a little after the rest of the students towards her common room. She spotted Harry and Ron as she exited; they were heading up the stairs and she could hear Ron complaining a bit about their detentions. Making an impulse decision, Silver followed after them. She caught up to them quickly, as she jumped a few of the steps.

"Are you guys all right? I hope you didn't get into too much trouble, even if you did break quite a few rules," she said when she got close enough. The boys pivoted around quickly to the sound of her voice, clearly not hearing her approach. Harry spun so fast he lost his balance and ran into Silver. She stopped his momentum and helped him up with a smile. "All right there, Harry? I didn't mean to startle you."

"I'm all right. We didn't get into as much trouble as expected. Fifty points from each of us, and detention all week with McGonagall; it would have been worse if we broke something in the castle. Professor Snape said someone had sent word that we were coming so we ended up halting in midair as soon as we crossed the gates. A bit frightening, really," Harry replied. He blushed a bit once he realized how much he had said.

"Glad you guys didn't crash into the Whomping Willow. It probably would have made mincemeat out of you," Silver said.

"What's the Whomping Willow?" Ron blurted. His ears turned bright pink as soon as he said it.

"It's a huge tree that hits anything that comes too close. It was planted in the seventies for unknown reasons," she replied promptly, "My guess is that it was planted to protect something, but I'm not sure what. We should go to bed though, since we have classes tomorrow. Have a good night." With that, she turned and descended the stairs, heading to her common room. She heard Harry call good night and Ron muttering under his breath about how suspicious kind Slytherins were.

That night, Silver dreamed of Mrs. Norris hanging upside down above a puddle of water; there was a message in red on the wall, but she couldn't read it. Startled, Silver awoke in a cold sweat with the image burned into her mind.


	8. Chapter 8

The next day, classes started as normal. Silver was a bit skittish due to the nightmare she had the night before. Truly, she only relaxed once she saw Mrs. Norris trailing behind Filch as she approached the Grand Hall for lunch. Taking her place at the Slytherin table, she coolly greeted Draco as he sat down across from her, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle. Draco started to brag about his summer, talking about all of the sights he saw during his trip to Spain. Pansy, who had sat next to Silver, was crooning over how marvelous he was. He preened under her affection. Pansy then asked with a sneer, "What did _you_ do this summer, Sullivan? I doubt it was anything special, unlike Dray's." Silver smiled brightly and replied sarcastically, "Why, Parkinson, how kind of you to ask! The highlight of my holiday was visiting the Longbottom estate. Everything else is incredibly boring, I'm afraid." Pansy looked like she was going to insult Neville based on how her nose scrunched up even more than usual at his name, but Silver cut her off, asking her seriously, "And what about you, Parkinson? Did you do anything entertaining?"

Pansy was stunned for a moment; she took a second to compose herself, and then replied, "Mother took me to France, where we went shopping. It was pleasant, as I got some rare and valuable items there."

"Those new earrings are quite stunning; they match your eyes. I'm glad you had a good summer, Pansy. I'm off to class; see you later," Silver replied with a smile. Unlike before, there was no sarcasm in her response. Pansy narrowed her eyes suspiciously before telling Draco, "I never said these were new earrings. How in the world did she know?" Draco shrugged nonchalantly and they talked for a bit more before also heading to class.

The rest of the week's classes passed by with no major incidents aside from Lockhart's disaster of a lesson. Silver had met with Hermione and Neville for a couple of study sessions throughout the week. Hermione was also surprised by Neville's progress; apparently he had been studying over the summer in determination to be able to keep up with the two girls. Saturday afternoon had Silver wandering the halls aimlessly; she had the same nightmare of Mrs. Norris a couple more times during the week and wanted to clear her head. The castle was mostly empty, as it was a beautiful day outside and the majority of the students were enjoying it before the harsh winds of fall came through. Silver was lost in thought when she suddenly crashed into someone, knocking them both over. She rubbed her backside as she got up from the hard castle floor, saying the person still on the ground, "I'm sorry; I wasn't watching where I was going." She offered her hand to the blond haired girl. The girl had settled on the ground as if she meant to sit there all along. The girl looked up at Silver, saying wistfully, "Oh, that's all right. The floor's quite comfortable. Perhaps I'll stay here a little longer. You're free to join if you'd like."

Slightly taken aback, Silver hesitated a moment before sitting down next to the girl. They sat in silence for a few minutes, before the girl said, "My name is Luna Lovegood. You have quite an infestation of Wrackspurts. I haven't seen one that bad in ages." The girl's bright blue eyes settled onto Silver's as she said this, before shifting back to the wall across from them.

"My name's Silver Sullivan. I've never heard of a Wrackspurt infestation. Is it a bad thing?"

"Oh, not really; it just means your head will be fuzzy for a while. Many people believe that they're just lost in thought, when they're actually infected by Wrackspurts."

Silver thought for a moment, and then responded, "Does that mean Wrackspurts feed on thoughts? If they like being in people's heads, I mean. Or do thoughts simply scatter because of a Wrackspurt being in someone's head?"

"Hmm," Luna dreamily hummed, "They like playing with people's thoughts, though, which is why many infestations revolve around a singular thought or subject."

"What's the cure, then? As with any infestation, I presume that there'd be some way to stop it."

"Well, it's different for everyone. I usually write or draw whatever I'm thinking about. The Wrackspurts usually leave once you focus on something else. Daddy likes taking walks and counting how many of a specific plant or creature he sees until his head is clear."

They sat in a comfortable silence. Silver studied the side of Luna's face; the girl was still staring a bit unseeingly at the wall across from them. Luna was pale, but not unhealthily. Her face was heart-shaped and flawless; her eyes were a clear sapphire blue. Luna felt Silver's eyes on her and turned her body to fully look at Silver in return. The two of them stared at each other for a couple minutes; Silver was oddly mesmerized by Luna's presence which made it not feel awkward.

"What's your favorite class so far, Luna? I know it's only a week into term, but you should have an idea what class you'll like," Silver said, finally breaking the silence.

"Oh, I'm not sure yet. I like all of my classes so far. What about you?"

"There aren't any classes I do not like, but my favorite would either be Charms or Potions."

"History of Magic is dreadfully dull, and Professor Lockhart doesn't seem to know what he's doing, even if he is funny," Luna replied.

"History of Magic is only dull because Binns is teaching. The topic itself is fascinating. As for Lockhart, he's a fraud. I'd be surprised if he actually did half of what he said he did. Pretty much all of the girls in my year and up have been swooning over him, though, which makes it difficult to endure his class."

"I've heard that as well. His teeth are too white, though. Daddy always told me to never trust a man with too-white teeth. It means they won't care about anyone but themselves," Luna replied matter-of-factly.

"Your Dad sounds like a smart man. Let's see…" Silver trailed off in thought before continuing, "That would be Xenophilius Lovegood, correct? The editor of _The Quibbler_?"

Luna nodded enthusiastically, responding, "Yes, Daddy is really proud of the work he does for _The Quibbler_. He recently published an article on Wrackspurts, if you're interested. It was in the latest edition. I can get you a copy, if you want."

"Oh, really? Can you give me the address so I can put in a subscription? I enjoy promoting small business, and if I recall, _The Quibbler_ is locally owned."

Luna nodded faintly, and gave Silver the subscription address. "It looks like the Wrackspurt is gone from your head. I hope it doesn't return today, as too many infestations aren't good for anyone," Luna said, back to her dream-like voice.

"I hope so as well," Silver replied with a smile. "Would you like to accompany me to the Owlery? I'd be able to get a letter out to your dad today with August."

Luna accepted and let Silver lead the way. They chattered about nothing in particular; Luna skipped up the steps happily as Silver walked alongside her at a more sedated pace. Once the letter was sent off, Luna bid farewell to Silver before they parted ways before dinner.


	9. Chapter 9

"Is it true you've befriended Looney Lovegood, Sullivan?" Pansy asked condescendingly at dinner a week later.

Silver replied coolly, "If you're going to ask that, use her actual name rather than that ridiculous nickname."

"She _is_ looney though; everyone says so, even though she's only an ickle firstie. She's created quite the reputation in only a few weeks of term," Pansy retorted smugly.

"I do not care for rumors or gossip much. You should know that by now, Parkinson."

"But you should care as to who you associate with, and what is said about them"

"Luna is not nearly as crazy as the rumor mill makes her out to be, and take caution what you say about her around me," Silver warned.

"What would _you_ know about the rumor mill? You hardly ever participate in gossip."

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Silver replied, leaving the table with a smirk.

The weeks following were uneventful, until Silver overheard a conversation between Nearly Headless Nick and Harry where Harry was guilted into attending Nick's Deathday party on Halloween. After that, for whatever reason, Silver's nightmares grew worse. Nearly every night she had the dream of Mrs. Norris, as well as a few vague ones of Moaning Myrtle and snakes imbedded in sinks. One nightmare included flashes of giant spiders chasing after a blue car with Ron and Harry inside of it. The spiders were so realistic that Silver woke up screaming and nearly fell out of bed. Luckily, she had remembered to place silencing charms around her bed after her first week of nightmares.

She tried talking to her friends about these nightmares, but neither Hermione nor Neville knew how to help her; in fact, she thought she had given Neville nightmares for a couple of weeks after she shared a particularly frightening one.

The only one who gave her any kind of advice was Luna, who suggested she draw the nighmares she sees. Her logic was that once something's out of your head, it's not nearly as scary. Silver began learning how to draw, as she discovered it also kept her mind busy and calmed her after each stressful nightmare.

Halloween was soon upon them all. Silver celebrated the way she knew how, since Halloween was her favorite holiday. She was wearing her hair in twin braids with black and orange ribbons entwined in it. One braid had a shimmering black cat on the end, while the other had a fluttering bat. Her school robes were unchanged, but she'd donned a festive orange hat decorated with black and silver spiders entwined in webs. Under her robes, she was wearing green spiderweb tights and had silver spiders adorning her shoes. Lastly, she had painted her nails to shimmer between an array of spooky colors, which she could change the order of with a tap of her wand. The previous year, Silver hadn't celebrated this extravagantly because she was insecure of what others would think of her and it was her first year and didn't want to draw attention to herself. But as she told Pansy earlier, she didn't care for gossip or rumors so decided to do what she wanted this year.

As she went about her day, she received some looks from the rest of the students, but Professors McGonagall and Flitwick had awarded her points for the spellwork on her outfit. She spotted Luna across the Great Hall at lunch and saw that she was also celebrating by donning bat earrings and a festive hat. When she spotted Silver, she smiled brightly at her in greeting.

"You look ridiculous," Draco quipped as he sat down next to her.

"Halloween is made for ridiculousness," Silver retorted. Draco just gave her an incredulous look and filled his plate. They ate in relative silence; it was still early in the lunch hour, so the Great Hall wasn't as crowded. Silver left as soon as she was done eating, wanting to draw for a bit before class.

"Silver!" a voice called. Turning around, Silver spotted Harry making his way towards her.

"Hiya, Harry. Happy Halloween!" Silver smiled.

"Happy Halloween," Harry replied. "I like your outfit. It's very festive."

"Thanks," Silver said. Turning a bit solemn, she rustled in her bag for a moment, then handed a piece of paper to him. "Here, a present. I know you didn't get to know your parents or anything, but their sacrifice is still remembered."

Surprised, he took the paper. Opening it revealed a drawing of a pair of tombstones with his parents' names on it. Underneath the inscription was a Halloween themed wreath. On top of them was a bouquet of flowers entwined with the words, "Always loved, never forgotten."

"I would have brought you to their graves if I could, but I don't have a way of getting us there," Silver said. Harry just looked at her, slightly holding back tears, as he said, "I don't know what to say. Th-thank you, Silver." He then threw his arms around her, taking her by surprise, but she quickly reciprocated the hug.

They stood in silence for a few moments, with Harry staring at the drawing, until Silver broke it with, "Did you need me for something? I'm sure there's a reason you called out to me other than to compliment my outfit."

Shaking himself a bit, Harry replied, "Oh, yeah. Could I walk with you to class? I want to pick your brain about something, and I have a free period next."

"Sure, but isn't Hermione better for brain picking?" Silver said as they headed towards the greenhouses.

"I've already picked her brain about this. You're just as smart as she is, but have different experiences," he replied.

"Oh, all right. Pick away, then," Silver said with a smile.

He hesitated slightly, and then appeared to steel himself.

"I had been walking back to the common room after a detention with Lockhart, and I heard a…voice in the wall. It was a bone-chilling kind of voice, talking about being hungry. It seemed to move _through_ the wall. I was following it when I ran into Ron and Hermione. Do you have any idea what it could be? They couldn't hear the voice, though," he finished.

"Hmm, a bone chilling voice in the wall?" Silver pondered. They walked in silence for a couple of minutes. They were halfway to the greenhouses when Silver spoke again, "The only thing I can think of would be some sort of creature living in the pipes. But wouldn't that be noticed by Hogwarts staff by now?"

"Maybe. But why am I the only one who can hear it? That's what's bothering me the most. I feel like I'm going crazy because of it," Harry mused.

"You're not going crazy. I believe you when you say you hear them. Perhaps only a certain kind of person can hear it? Or it's a creature that speaks a language you understand." They arrived at the greenhouses when she said, "Sorry I couldn't help more, Harry. I'll look into it in my free time, though. I'll see you later, all right? Thanks for walking me to class." She gave one last smile and headed in just as the bell rang. Harry could hear Professor Sprout starting the lesson as he left, lost in thought.

That night, Silver noticed that Harry, Ron, and Hermione were absent from dinner. She figured they'd have to be at Nick's party, since Harry's friends probably wouldn't have wanted him to go alone. Keeping this in mind, she left a little early with some extra food she stashed in her bag. She knew ghosts didn't eat regular food and figured they'd be starving when they got back. She spotted Peeves as he headed away from the dungeons, and figured that that's where the party had been. She stopped to question him, which surprisingly was helpful, as he told her that Harry and company left nearly twenty minutes earlier. Peeves did drop a water balloon on her head, though, before he flew off cackling like a madman. Luckily, Silver's hat had taken the brunt of the water, which was quickly rectified with a Quick Dry spell.

Once that was done, she headed towards the Great Hall once more. On instinct, though, she decided to head more towards where she thought the Gryffindor common room was. As she passed Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, she got a large sense of foreboding since she splashed through quite a bit of water. _This is just like my dream,_ she thought nervously. Coming around the corner, she saw Harry, Ron and Hermione approaching from the adjacent corridor. Then, her eyes gravitated forward towards the wall directly in front of her in mute horror. The three Gryffindors also stood in horror looking at Mrs. Norris, who was still and hanging in front of the wall. Since Silver was closest, she could finally read the red writing that had been haunting her dreams for the past two months: _The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir, beware._

All three of the Gryffindors came to stand next to Silver as they too read the message. Almost immediately, though, they heard the thunder of footsteps as students approached the corridor. There was a clamor of voices as more people saw the spectacle; Filch approached because of the holdup. When he saw his precious familiar hanging and appearing lifeless, he gave a howl of agony before turning on the four students standing closest to the cat, demanding they change her back. Draco gleefully cried that Mudbloods would be next to be attacked.

The headmaster approached, along with a few other professors. He dismissed the rest of the students, save for the three Gryffindors and the Slytherin.

"Why weren't you four in the Great Hall with the rest of the students?" Dumbledore asked, not unkindly.

"We skipped the feast because we…weren't hungry," Harry replied. Ron's stomach protested this as it growled loudly. The professors looked at him skeptically, until Silver responded, "I was bringing them food. I heard Nick had invited the three of them to his Deathday party. I knew ghosts wouldn't have had normal food available at their party, so I was going to bring some to them, hoping to intercept them before they got to the Gryffindor Common room." Dumbledore appeared to be placated by this answer, and dismissed them after announcing that Mrs. Norris had actually been petrified, not killed.

The four students left together, and headed towards the rotating staircases. They paused for a moment, until Harry spoke, "Thanks for that, Silver. I wasn't sure if we'd get into trouble for attending Nick's party or not, which is why I hadn't said anything about it."

"It's a valid reason for why you weren't at the feast. Oh, here," she said, handing them the bag of food. "I actually did nick some food for you; hopefully it's enough to hold you over until breakfast." Then, she asked, "Why were you three in the corridor? It's pretty far from the fifth floor and the Great Hall." They looked at her, surprised that she seemed to know where their common room was.

"Neville told me the floor, just not where it is," she added. Harry hesitated before replying, "I heard the voice again. I was following it because it was talking about killing someone." Both Ron and Hermione were shocked at his admission; they weren't aware that Silver knew he heard voices. "It said it was going to kill?" Silver asked, curious. Harry nodded his head in affirmative. "Hmm. Curious. Well, I'm glad you're all right. Try not to be such a golden Gryffindor, Potter. I'd like to see you alive and kicking for a while yet. I'll look into it more, like I said. I should get going now, though. It's getting late and I'm a long way from my common room." Silver bade them all goodnight and left them.

As she was returning to her common room, Silver was thinking about all that had happened that day. _The dream became reality. So does that mean it was a vision…of the future?_


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N This chapter is a bit abrupt after the last one. The only information that had happened between the two is that Silver did a bit of research and was thinking on her nightmares possibly being visions of the future. As such, I didn't think I'd have to add more to this chapter. Also this one's significantly shorter than the last.**

 **Let me know what you think of either of these two chapters. I wrote them both in one go, and I love reviews. Thanks for reading. And, as always, I do not own Harry Potter.**

"Have you heard about Lockhart's Duelling Club? I've been thinking of going, but if it's run by him it'll probably be a joke," Pansy asked at dinner one night.

"Professor Snape will be joining Lockhart, so it's likely not to be a complete waste of my time," Draco cut in.

"Professor Snape, huh? It'd be interesting to see him put Lockhart in his place. Personally, I think Snape would make a much better Defense teacher than the two goofs we've had so far," Silver responded.

"Really? I thought you would have wanted your little lion friends to be favored, which they clearly wouldn't be if Snape was our teacher," Draco replied.

Silver just shrugged and stood up to leave; she had plans to meet Luna before bedtime.

As she was leaving the Great Hall, she ran into a red-headed first year. Thinking quickly, she grabbed the younger girl by the arm to prevent her from falling over. Upon righting the girl, Silver stated, "Hey, you're that girl from the train. The one who was sharing with the Weasley twins? What's your name?"

The girl timidly said, "Ginny W-Weasley."

"I'm Silver Sullivan. Pleasure to meet you, Ginny," Silver replied with a smile, holding her hand out for Ginny to take. Ginny carefully shook her hand, as if expecting Silver to do something dangerous. Silver took note of this, theorizing that she'd been told all Slytherins were dark and dangerous.

"Well, I'm off to meet my friend Luna. Maybe I'll see you again soon. Try not to run into any more big bad Slytherins on your way to the common room, ok?" Ginny nodded her head, and then they both went their separate ways.

Silver didn't see that Ginny was looking after her curiously, but no longer in fear.

The day of the Dueling Club came. Silver ended up standing by Neville, figuring that they could be paired together. She had the niggling suspicion that they'd be paired off with opposing houses. This theory was proved correct when Harry was paired with Draco, Hermione was paired with Millicent, and Silver was paired with Ron instead of Neville. Neville had been paired with a Hufflepuff named Justin. Shortly after the pairing off though, Lockhart and Snape wanted Draco and Harry to demonstrate how to do a wizard's duel. They bowed to each other, then exchanged spells. Silver had pushed to the front, displacing Justin from his position. He grumbled in displeasure, but moved aside. Near the end of the boys' duel, Draco summoned a viper. Lockhart attempted to get rid of it, but all he succeeded in doing was making it fly through the air, where it landed in front of Silver. No one moved except the viper, as it slowly made its way towards Silver. Then, a strange hissing sound could be heard coming from Harry. Almost everyone immediately stared at him in amazed horror, but Silver was watching the viper. She noticed that it was hesitating in striking, seemingly because of Harry's hissing. Calmly, she lifted her wand slowly and muttered " _Vipera Evanesca,_ " which made the viper disappear in a puff of smoke. When it was gone, she looked up at Harry and smiled. Everyone else was still staring at him until Lockhart dismissed them all. Silver ran up to Harry as soon as she got free of the crowd and hugged him. He was so startled, he fell over with Silver crashing on top of him. Silver immediately got to her feet and pulled him up, blushing. Harry was staring at her, as he'd never seen her blush before, as he asked, "What in the world was that for?"

"You tried to stop the snake from attacking me. Thank you," she replied, smiling brightly at him.

"But all we heard was hissing. It sounded like he was egging it on, not trying to stop it. Where'd you get that idea, Sullivan?" a sulky Ron asked.

"The snake would have attacked me long ago if Harry hadn't talked to it. That's a very rare ability, being able to talk to snakes. Have you always been able to do it?" she asked Harry.

"Well, I once accidently set one on my cousin Dudley," Harry replied. "I was just trying to free it, but Dudley got trapped in its cage. That's before I found out I was a wizard."

"Huh," Silver replied, "You truly are a Gryffindor, Harry. It's ridiculous that anyone would think you're a dark wizard, even if you are a Parseltongue."

"A Parseltongue is the name of the ability to talk to snakes," Hermione replied to the boys' confused looks. "The ability is mostly associated with dark witches and wizards, including You-Know-Who," she concluded.

Both boys looked grim at the news, Harry more so than Ron. Silver gave Hermione a goodbye hug and waved to the boys as she left the Hall, heading for her dorms.


	11. Chapter 11

Whispers followed Harry wherever he went after the Dueling Club mishap. With the Gryffindor/Slytherin match coming up that weekend, the house rivalries were at an all-time high. Even with the darkness of Mrs. Norris' attack, it seemed that Quidditch once more took precedence. Silver took to discretely protecting Harry from the worst jinxes and hexes thrown his way whenever she could, with all the stealth she used the previous year to remain undetected by her housemates. It wouldn't do to be accused of favoring another House's team, so she also did the same for the younger players on her House's team, namely Draco.

Once the day of the match arrived, Silver sat among her house, near Crabbe and Goyle. The match was a nail biter, since one of the bludgers went rogue and targeted Harry. He outmaneuvered it gracefully, but still had his arm broken by it. One particular drop of the Snitch brought both Seekers close to the ground; Harry caught it and pitched forward into the sand of the goalposts. The bludger kept attacking him, though, until Hermione casted a Finite Incantum on it. Lockhart managed to remove all the bones in Harry's wrist while he was trying to show off his healing knowledge, so Harry was taken to the hospital wing to have the bones regrown.

That night, Silver had another nightmare, this one about a house-elf named Dobby being punished by his master with a snake topped cane. The flash of platinum blond hair was all she saw of the master until she startled awake. She took out her sketchpad, which was always near her bed for moments like this, and drew the dream as she remembered it. As she did so, the tension left her body. Seeing that it was early, but not too early to be up and about, she took a shower and headed down to breakfast before her roommates even woke up. Midway there, she got the idea to visit Harry in the Hospital Wing and changed her course.

When she arrived, she didn't see Madame Pomfrey anywhere, but spotted Harry sleeping in a bed at the end farthest from the door. As she approached his bed, he stirred a bit and fully awoke, his green eyes blinking blearily.

"Morning, Harry. How do you feel?" Silver asked gently, sitting beside his bed.

"Ugh..Silver? What are you doing here?" he replied.

"Visiting you, of course. Spectacular show of catching the snitch, even if the bludger did break your arm," she said, smiling.

"Aren't you upset that Slytherin lost? It is your house after all," he retorted, sitting up slightly.

"Not particularly. I don't care much for Quidditch, but whenever I see a good match I usually support whoever won, as long as it was fair. Granted this is my only second year of being around Quidditch, so I might just not understand the full appeal of it yet," Silver replied.

"Besides," she continued, "You're more my friend than Draco is, and he'll be complaining more than usual for at least a week. Want some chocolate?" She pulled out a couple different chocolate bars from her bag, offering him the selection.

"Thanks," he said, taking a milk chocolate caramel bar. "Why do you have so many chocolate bars?"

"Well, there are very few people that don't like chocolate and it's a good way to make friends. Plus, Nev always likes having some after a bad day. His favorite's the milk chocolate almond."

Harry took a bite of his chocolate bar; his eyes widened slightly before he smiled brightly. Then, he offered Silver a piece, which she took with a grin.

"A house-elf named Dobby visited me last night," he stated. "He has been trying to protect me from the Chamber of Secrets being opened, and in the process nearly killed me. He's the one who enchanted the Bludger to attack me, to try to get me sent home."

"Dobby?" she paled slightly before continuing, "well house-elves don't ordinarily try to protect someone outside the family they're serving, so I suppose this Dobby likes you quite a bit. Is he also the reason you drove a car to get to Hogwarts instead of the train?"

Harry nodded as he said, "I never did find out who had sent word to the castle so that we didn't crash into something. I wanted to thank them, but no one told me who it was. I think Hermione knows who it is, but she hasn't said."

"Really? She's incredibly loyal when she wants to be, I suppose," Silver murmered. "It was me who sent word with August. I saw you both dip out of the clouds about halfway through the train ride."

"Oh. Well, thank you then," Harry replied. Silver had moved to sit at the foot of his bed, crossing her legs. Miraculously, Madame Pomfrey still hadn't emerged from her quarters in the time that they'd been talking.

"You're welcome. I don't want you getting hurt, especially from something that can be prevented," she replied.

"Why do you care, though? I didn't treat you kindly last year, and you've gone above and beyond to be nice to me this year. Why?"

"Despite what you may think, I like you. And you're Hermione's best friend. Since she's mine, I wanted to learn why she likes you and I'm starting to see why."

There were a few minutes of silence while Harry finished his chocolate bar. Madame Pomfrey emerged from her quarters and immediately started fussing over Harry. She allowed Silver to stay as she discharged Harry. Smiling, Silver walked Harry out of the Hospital Wing to the Great Hall for breakfast. As they were walking to the Great Hall, Silver said, "You and Ron are more than welcome to study with me and Hermione sometimes if you want. We meet three times a week. I also sometimes hang out with a girl named Luna, so if you ever want to find me to talk or hang out or whatever…" she trailed off, suddenly unsure.

"Yeah, sounds good. You might want to keep your chocolate stash a secret from Ron though. You might never get it back," he replied with a cheeky grin.

They broke off as they approached the Hall, heading to their respective tables. Breakfast was in full swing, and Silver got a few looks from her classmates for entering with The Boy Who Lived, but she just sat down and began eating.

A few days later, Silver was spending some time with Luna in an empty classroom when Harry, Ron, and Hermione showed up.

"See? I told you she'd be here. Go on, ask," Hermione prompted Harry. Silver looked between the three of them, then back at Luna, before murmuring, "Do you mind leaving us alone. Luna? I think this is a more sensitive nature, and you're a stranger to them."

Luna just nodded before she gathered her stuff and exited the room, hugging Silver before she went.

As soon as the door clicked closed, Silver said, "Now, what's up, Harry?"

He shuffled between his two feet, before asking, "Do you know who the Heir of Slytherin is? Or who opened the Chamber?"

Silver looked at him a moment, before replying, "Well, the last known Slytherin heir was Tom Riddle Junior, who attended Hogwarts fifty years ago when the Chamber was last opened. He got a honor from the school for uncovering the person who opened the Chamber, although it wasn't actually that person."

"How do you know it was Riddle who was the last heir, then?" Hermione asked doubtfully.

"I have a penchant for getting portraits to talk. I spend enough time wandering the castle that I've made friends with a few of them. There's a portrait near our common room who was able to identify him for me, since he had apparently been…aquainted with the heir. Unfortunately, though, he refused to tell me any more than the heir's name and that he was gifted with Parseltongue. I figured out the rest on my own," Silver replied cautiously.

"Who did Riddle get expelled, then? If he was the true heir, then he had to have framed someone or else he wouldn't have gotten the medal," Ron asked.

Silver was quiet for a few minutes as she gathered her thoughts. She had been talking about her latest dream with Luna before the Gryffindors had appeared; it was the giant spider one again, which haunted her more than the others for some reason.

"Silver?" Hermione prompted kindly, seeing that her friend was lost in thought. From experience, she knew that Silver sometimes went quiet before sharing either bad news or wasn't sure how to proceed.

"Hagrid. Hagrid was the one who got expelled for bringing a creature into the castle. Riddle had convinced the Headmaster that the creature was the Chamber's monster, when in fact that creature was _afraid_ of it," she finally replied. They were stunned into silence for a few moments until Harry asked, "Have you figured out what the monster is?"

"I'm pretty certain it's a basilisk. You can hear it, so it needs to be a snake. Hagrid's roosters have been killed, which is one of the things can kill a basilisk. It has the power to kill with one look into its eyes, but only petrifies if it's seen through a reflection," Silver responded.

"Of course! That fits it perfectly. Now, we need to figure out who opened the Chamber," Hermione said. There was a long silence as everyone thought about it.

"Well, what about Malfoy? He's been bragging that he wants all the Muggleborns dead. And we've suspected him since the beginning," Ron stated.

"No," Silver said abruptly. "Malfoy may be a prat, but he's not capable of being the heir. He's not a Parseltongue, either. He may _want_ to be the Heir, but there's no way in hell it's more than just talk. Pretty sure if he actually faced a basilisk he'd run in terror or piss his pants," she finished. All three Gryffindors were surprised by her swears, as none of them have heard her do so before.

Silver chuckled before saying, "Just because I choose not to swear normally doesn't mean I don't. I try not to do it around my housemates, though, because I don't need them to have yet another reason to deny my intelligence."

Harry thought for a moment, and then said, "We should probably get going back to our common rooms; it's getting late and I don't fancy meeting Filch's wrath tonight. With the Christmas holiday coming up next week, perhaps we should just keep our eyes open?"

Everyone agreed as they walked out of the classroom. Silver walked with the Gryffindors until they had to go their separate ways.

"Hermione, can I talk to you for a moment?" Silver asked. Hermione gestured for the boys to go on ahead as she turned to face Silver.

"I'm guessing you won't need the Polyjuice potion, then, since you now know that Malfoy isn't the Heir?" Silver started. Hermione stared at Silver incredulously.

"You knew about that? How?" Hermione asked.

"I told you, I have a way with portraits. One of them told me they kept seeing you and the boys going into Myrtle's bathroom, so I snuck in one day you weren't there. Mrytle can give a lot of information if you know how to talk to her. It took me a few tries, but she finally told me what was going on."

"The potion's almost done, though. I'd hate to waste it."

"It stores well enough. You can either hold onto it for a rainy day or I can, if you'd prefer not to have such an illicit potion near you. I wouldn't want you to get into trouble."

"I don't know…maybe it would be better with you. You just have to promise not to use it unless it's absolutely necessary," Hermione stated with a pout.

"Of course. Just let me know when it's done and I'll bring a few flasks for it," Silver said, smiling at Hermione's pout. Hermione nodded and then hugged Silver before running off to catch up with the boys.

 **A/N I know I got this chapter a bit out of order of canon, but honestly I had forgotten about the Quidditch match and Dobby. It's been a few years since I've read the actual books so the majority of this is based on memory. I think it still works the way it is, since I just made it clearer that this wasn't the first match of the season. I did cut out the scene with Malfoy, Harry, and Hermione though where Ron has to "eat slugs" because in my version his wand hasn't gotten broken yet. I hope it still makes sense because I've made some changes to the story to cover for it.**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N there's a potential trigger warning in this chapter. I'm no expert in them, so I'm only pretty sure it's one. But Silver talks a bit about her past, which isn't all sunshine and rainbows. Again, the timing is a bit different than canon for the second attack, but I did my best after the last chapter.**

 **Please read and review!**

As Silver was heading back to her common room, she was faced with a dark and smoky Nearly Headless Nick. Eyes widening in horror, she scanned the area around him. She spotted a trail of spiders on the wall, heading out the open window. Then she spotted the body on the floor; it was Justin Finch-Fletchley. Immediately, she attempted to take his pulse, but he was cold to the touch. She figured out almost instantly that it must have been the basilisk, and poor Justin had seen it through Nick, which is why he was petrified rather than dead. Silver went over to a portrait near the corridor where they were and asked them to pass a message to the nearest teacher. Moments later, Professor McGonagall came around the corner. She paused when she saw the scene before her.

"You found him like this, Ms. Sullivan?" She asked promptly.

"Well, it's not like I could do this kind of damage, Professor. I'm only a second year, and petrifying someone takes a lot of dark magic. Yes, I happened upon them both as I was heading down from the fourth floor," Silver replied.

"I see," McGonagall stated.

"Would you like me to help with anything?" Silver offered.

McGonagall conjured a fan out of mid-air and handed it to Silver. Silver took the fan and used it to move Nick behind McGonagall, who was levitating Justin, to the Hospital wing.

As Silver left the Hospital Wing, she nearly crashed into Ginny again.

"Are you alright, Ginny? You're awfully pale," Silver asked.

"W-was there another attack?" Ginny asked. When Silver nodded her head in affirmative, Ginny got even paler as her eyes widened in horror.

Silver was curious, so she cautiously said, "I haven't told you who it was yet, but you look like you've seen a vampire. Why?"

Ginny started before she whispered in horror, "I-I can't tell you. It's too awful."

Silver took her hand and drew her into an abandoned classroom and placed muttered a silencing ward on the door.

"I'm not a judgemental person, honest. If you want to tell me, you can," she said gently. "I know you hardly know me, and have no reason to trust me, but I know what the monster of the Chamber is."

Ginny's eyes widened even more as she regarded Silver. Silver kept her expression open, not wanting to scare off the younger girl. She knew that Ginny would either tell her or run, and in that moment, she wanted Ginny to tell her. If she acted incorrectly, Ginny would clam up and not say a word until things reached a new peak.

Silver went to a desk and sat down, gesturing for Ginny to join her. Hesitating, Ginny did so, still wary of Silver.

"I once knew a girl who had a terrible secret," Silver started.

"She had been seeing a guy who was significantly older than her, and he wasn't treating her well. But she trusted him. She once tried to tell me about this guy, but she didn't want to get in trouble with him. So she didn't talk about him or how she felt. She stopped eating and lost any desire to be with anyone in our home. Our Matron tried to get her to talk, but the Matron's way of trying was to threaten her, which was counter-productive. She went even more into her shell, only leaving the house to be with the guy. One day, I followed her to see why she was acting the way she was. I got close enough to hear them, and he was complimenting her on how much weight she lost, making comments about how pretty she was. They kissed and she seemed happy for a moment. But in the next few times I saw them, he treated her like an object, pushing her to do things that she didn't want to do. She was miserable, and got sick," Silver paused for a moment, seeing that Ginny was entranced by her story, if a tiny bit horrified.

"Then what happened?" she asked in a whisper.

"I walked up to the guy and punched him in the face. The guy started to fight me, but I screamed bloody murder as I fought back and an officer broke it up. Since I was only eight at the time, he did a lot more damage to me than I did to him, and he was arrested for attacking a child," Silver said.

"What happened to the girl?" Ginny asked, intrigued. She didn't look as horrified, but more cautious.

"It took a couple weeks, but I finally got her to tell me the whole story. It wasn't too difficult since she had been dying to tell someone, especially once she started getting better and found out the guy was in jail. Turns out the guy had several assault charges against him, so his jail time was extended."

"Why did she tell you, though, instead of your Matron?"

"The Matron wouldn't have done anything; she was of the mind that if people got in trouble, they had to deal with it herself. Why she fostered children, I have no idea. I got the police officer who made the arrest to come talk to Mary, which got the guy in even more trouble. The officer was kind and happened to specialize in abuse cases, and had Mary placed in a new home with kinder foster parents. She'd be out of the system by now, since she was fourteen when this all happened," Silver finished. A few moments passed in silence.

"One thing I always told her beforehand is that the guy being mean to her was _not_ her fault. She thought he cared about her, and by the time she suspected otherwise, it was almost too late. If she lost any more weight from lack of eating, she would have ended up in a coma," Silver said.

It was quiet for a few minutes. Ginny had started fidgeting out of restlessness, and Silver was staring at the walls. After a few moments, Silver pulled a couple of chocolate bars from her bag and handed one to Ginny.

Ginny took it and almost immediately ate it; clearly, she wasn't fully in her right mind as she'd ordinarily be suspicious of taking food from a relatively unknown person. When she took a bite, she relaxed slightly because of its taste. Silver smirked slightly. _Works every time_ , she thought.

Ginny sat down again, facing Silver. Looking at the older girl, she seemed to get her bearings before deciding to speak.

"I've been writing in a diary, one that writes back. Dad always told me not to trust something if you can't see where it hides its brain, but Tom was _so_ helpful." Silver's eyes widened slightly when she heard the name before schooling her face into a neutral face, taking another bite of chocolate.

"I started having blackouts. After the first one, I found rooster feathers in my bed. Then, they progressively started getting worse. I found red paint on my hands the day after the attack on Mrs. Norris. I started to panic, telling Tom more and more about how scared I was, and how I suspected I was the one attacking people." She paused for a moment to take another bite of chocolate before continuing.

"Tonight I woke up Myrtle's bathroom before I ended up over here. When you confirmed there was another attack, I-" she cut off with a sob.

Immediately, Silver brought the girl tight to her chest, allowing Ginny to cry on her. She rubbed the girl's back soothingly, whispering consoling words.

Pulling back, Ginny started apologizing fervently. Silver hushed her before saying, "Do you have the diary with you? Or is it back in your dorms?"

Ginny pulled it out from her pocket and handed it to Silver, still afraid she'd get scolded for what she'd done. Silver read the gold lettering on the cover: _Tom Marvolo Riddle._

"It's not your fault, Ginny. I think you were being possessed by Tom to do the things you did," Silver said, further consoling the girl. "Tomorrow, let's go to Dumbledore and explain things. You won't get into trouble for doing things out of your control. I'll walk you back."

Ginny just nodded and allowed Silver to lead the way, only slightly questioning how the Slytherin knew how to get there. Once they neared the portrait of the Fat Lady, Silver wished Ginny a good night, hugging the girl before she left. It was only once Ginny had made it all the way back to her room that she realized Silver still had the diary.


	13. Chapter 13

_Hello Mr. Riddle._ Silver wrote in the diary, once she had returned to her dorm and drew the curtains, silencing it as per usual.

 _Hello. Who are you?_

 _A Slytherin. I'd prefer not to divulge my name, if you don't mind._

 _A wise decision, though I must call you something if we are to continue._

 _Crystal, then._

 _What do you wish to ask?_ Riddle said in response.

 _Why did you open the Chamber of Secrets?_

There were a few moments of pause, as if he were thinking. Silver refused to think of the diary as an inanimate object once he'd started talking back.

 _To rid the school of those unworthy of magic,_ he finally replied.

 _Why do you get to decide who is worthy and who is not? You may be the Heir of Slytherin, but no one should have that much power over other creatures._

 _Why should I not? People are misguided, especially in the ways of magic. I alone understand the value of pure blood. Muggles and Mudbloods are inferior to wizard kind. You are a Slytherin, yet question this fundamental value of our house. Why?_

Silver found his curiosity interesting. Perhaps he hadn't had an entirely intellectual conversation in a while, what with having an eleven year girl as his past conversationalist.

 _I do not believe in the blood purity sanction. I have seen both extraordinary and horrible people, both Muggle and Wizard alike, in my lifetime. It is perplexing to me that anyone's worth would be determined by something they cannot control. Much like the most recent Muggle world war, Lord Voldemort and his followers instill fear in the hopes of gaining power. It worked, until Harry was able to thwart him, at least for the time being. He will rise again, more powerful than ever before. I shudder to think of how the world would run under his wrath. So much of the world would be in ruin. Those who survive would have to live in constant fear of oppression,_ Silver replied. She hadn't meant to say as much as she had, but blood purity discrimination was one topic she would always argue. 

_Do you deny that the Dark Lord is a powerful wizard? Do you deny that his strength is greater than any mere mortal?_

 _He is powerful, yes. But sheer power is not enough to win the hearts of the people. He'll win the fear of them, sure, which will cause him to gain more power. But fear also breeds something else to the correct people: hope. The Potters had it, before they got comfortable in their security and allowed the Dark Lord into their home without a fight. The Headmaster has it, and attempts to instill his beliefs onto his students. Voldemort may have taken steps to prevent death, which are unknown, but even he can be defeated with the right tools. It is foolish for anyone to think they are forever invincible. That is my opinion, though I'm sure I will be disputed by the most loyal of his subjects or even Voldemort himself._

 _You are not afraid to say his name. That is either brave or foolish. Lord Voldemort is my past, present, and future. Therefore, I will forever protest your inclination to believe he can be defeated. I opened the Chamber through the Weasley girl, to release the beast within. Fear will strike in the halls of Hogwarts until only those of worthy blood will dare enter them._

 _Fear of the name only makes it stronger. Regardless, steps will be taken to rid the halls of the basilisk before long. Tell me something, Tom. Is part of the reason you despise Muggles because of your name? Because it sounds so ordinary, so painstakingly Muggle._ Once the ink sank into the diary after this last quip, Silver got a flash of red eyes flaring in anger in her mind. The diary flipped closed of its own accord, slamming her out of her thoughts.

Silver then took out a blank piece of parchment and wrote "Lord Voldemort is my past, present, and future" followed by "Tom Morvolo Riddle." A few minutes of scribbling different words and sounding them out, she created an anagram: "I'm Lord Voldemort." Upon discovering this, she stilled in thought for a few minutes. The pieces of what she knew about the Dark Lord, mixed with what he'd learned about the Heir, made the fact that Tom Riddle was Voldemort entirely plausible. Slightly tentatively, she flipped open the diary once more. She met a little resistance, but with a tap of her wand it opened up.

 _I know you're Lord Voldemort, Tom. My apologies for insulting you about your name._

 _You know, then, how unwise it is to insult me? If I had my body, you would surely perish under the Cruciatus curse._

There were a few minutes of silence between the two, before Riddle spoke again.

 _You are not as inquisitive now as you were before your discovery, Crystal. Are you perhaps afraid of me?_ Silver could swear she heard a bit of mocking in his tone.

 _Surely not, Voldemort. I merely have no questions that I believe you'd answer._

 _You may ask; I may not reply._

 _You are clearly sentient enough to carry a conversation, but not nearly as transparent of a conscience as the portraits are. The only way that I can think that you are able to capture the essence of Voldemort is if you were a piece of him. That would be the darkest and foulest of magics, but you would be the only one I could think of who would do such a thing, except perhaps Grinenwald._

 _You have not asked a question._

 _Are you a piece of Voldemort's soul?_

 _It does not matter what I am, as long as I can fulfill my task._

 _Are you the only Parseltongue you know, or are there others?_

 _I am the only one I know, except Harry Potter, which Ginny told me about. It's intriguing that someone in Gryffindor has the gift, as it's dark magic._

 _Why would talking to snakes be dark magic? They're just a type of creature, albeit a bit more scaly and deadly._

 _It is not merely 'talking to snakes.' It is also being able to control them, to make them your familiars. It has always come naturally to me to use snakes for my bidding._

 _Do you know how your diary, therefore you, had gotten into Ginny's possession?_

 _No, I do not._

 _Ok. I must go to sleep now. I have classes tomorrow. Your Chamber has failed to claim a kill, so in that regard you have failed. Goodnight, Voldemort. I will not speak to you again, so goodbye as well._

Silver closed the book before Riddle could reply, afraid that he'd try to suck her into conversation once more. Wary, she placed the diary in the drawer next to her bed, locking it and casting a protection charm over it. She got ready for bed and fell into a fitful sleep, plagued by nightmares of basilisks and a handsome man with red eyes.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

 **Hello! It's been awhile since my last update, so for those of you who are still around, sorry about that. Life gets in the way. Here's my next chapter.**

 **Please read and review! :)**

As promised, Silver and Ginny met the next day to talk to the Headmaster. Silver gestured for Ginny to wait before heading to the head table to ask Dumbledore if they'd be able to meet after Breakfast. He consented, and they all met back in his office.

Ginny told her story, with Silver supporting her along the way, as she was still a bit shaken up from the night before. Dumbledore released her to go to the Hospital Wing for a Calming Draught. However, Silver lingered behind to speak with him about the Diary and her own take on the situation. However, Dumbledore wouldn't let her finish her story once she got to the discovery of the Diary being a piece of Lord Voldemort. He immediately dismissed her, saying that he'd take care of everything and that she didn't need to worry about it. He cut off her futile protests, which were silenced as soon as she realized he was having selective hearing. As a result, she left the office aggravated at being and went to class.

The remainder of the day went by uneventfully, much to the annoyance of Silver. She expected the Headmaster to make some sort of announcement regarding the fact that the Chamber would no longer be a threat, but he was silent. After dinner, she met up with her Gryffindor friends in the library. She led them to a table within the stacks and placed a few privacy charms around the area.

"Care to explain what that fancy wandwork was, then?" Ron asked, eyes narrowed.

"Privacy charms, Weasley. Surely you've heard of them, growing up with older siblings. I do not wish our conversation to be overheard by anyone," Silver replied.

"What's on your mind, Silver?" Hermione asked gently. Perking up, she continued with a slight glance at Neville, "Did you find out how the Chamber was opened?"

Silver nodded her head, elaborating, "I did. Although it might not be welcome news." Hermione quirked an eyebrow at Neville's lack of reaction, before asking, "Neville, did you already know that Silver was looking into this?"

"Yeah, I did. Silver told me the general information, like that the creature is a basilisk and it only answers to the Heir of Slytherin. She left quite a bit out, though, like how you three are involved. Has it got something to do with you being able to speak to snakes, Harry?"

Harry hesitated before Silver responded for him, "Yes and no. Since Harry's the only known Parseltongue at the moment, I believe he's the only one who can open the Chamber to get to the basalisk right now. However, he's not the one who opened it in the first place. That was done by Ginny Weasley, under the control of Tom Riddle. She had been possessed by Tom Riddle's diary, losing bits and pieces of the school year as he used her body to do what he wished. The diary is currently in the possession of the Headmaster, although I do not know what he intends to do with it. He wouldn't let me finish my side of the matter."

"GINNY WAS POSSESSED?!" Ron all but shouted in outrage. The remaining Gryffindors jumped at his outburst. Silver just glared at him pointedly, non-verbally reprimanding him. She was glad she had placed a silencing spell around the area.

"She is all right now, but it'll probably be a few days until she has any semblance of normal. Last I saw her, she had been heading to the Hospital Wing for a Calming Draught. That was this morning, so perhaps Madame Pomfrey wished to keep an eye on her for a few hours, or I just hadn't seen her."

"What did Dumbledore say he'd do? I mean, he can't just leave the basalisk roaming free, especially with no Master to control it," Harry said.

"Well, he didn't let me get to my suspicions on the location of the Chamber, so I don't think he'll make any move to kill it. He's probably consumed with the thought of how to destroy the diary."

"Where do you think it is, Silver?" Neville asked curiously.

"The girl's bathroom on the third floor. After all, Myrtle died after seeing big yellow eyes, and there'd be a giant pipe underneath that massive sink in the center," Silver replied. "Unfortunately, I don't think we'd be capable of slaying a basilisk on our own, unless we can..." Silver trailed off, realizing that yet another of her visions could come true soon. However, she wasn't sure how it would come to pass since Dumbledore was in possession of the diary now. Her three friends stared at her for a few moments, seeing if she would continue. When no response was forthcoming, Hermione said, "Well, we could either research ways to kill a basilisk or we could go to a teacher. It's their job to keep the school safe, and what better way than by giving them information?"

Silver nodded at this before adding, "Telling a teacher is the smart thing to do, but there's no guarantee that they'll even listen to us. We're a bunch of second years, after all, and you're all going based on my own suspicions and conclusions. I say we should wait and see what Dumbledore does before doing anything drastic."

With that, the group adjourned their meeting and left for their respective common rooms. That night, though, Silver found herself dreaming that she was going into the Chamber herself, diary in hand.


	15. Chapter 15

When she awoke the next morning, her dream had become reality as she laid on the cold hard ground of the Chamber from her dreams. Groggily, she sat up slightly, only to realize that she was incredibly weak. She heard a voice, distantly, call her from somewhere to her left. As she focused on it, she began hearing more definitive words being spoken to her.

"I'm surprised you have managed to wake up, Crystal. Perhaps you are stronger than I initially thought. It was much too easy to latch onto your soul after our riveting conversation. You will give me life in return for your own. Your sacrifice will be remembered as being worthy of any Slytherin." Silver could recognize the words, even if she'd never heard his voice before. Forcing herself to move her mouth, she replied, "I hope you rot in hell, Voldemort. I will survive this, and you will die. At the least, this piece of you will die. You will never win as long as hope lives." She heard a slithering mass approach from what sounded like a stone chamber before she lost consciousness.

When she next awoke, she was nestled among scratchy sheets. She could hear whispering coming from the right side of her bed, but did not immediately stir. After a few moments, she deduced that they were Hermione and Ron. She began to stretch, letting out a low sound of content as her muscles flexed and relaxed. The whispering immediately ceased as she cracked her eyes open, letting them adjust to the harsh brightness.

"How are you feeling, Silver?" Hermione asked in a quiet voice.

"Like my soul was ripped from my body and put back in a matter of hours, along with laying on a cold hard floor for a while. Other than that, peachy," Silver responded. Hermione grimaced slightly at her casual tone, before catching sight of her friend's eyes. She smiled before lightly bowing over Silver's laying form in an attempt of a hug. Ron had evidently vanished to get Madame Pomfrey, for a moment later, she was flitting around Silver, helping her to sit up. After doing a bit of diagnostics, she left the group to their own devices.

Silver, looking around, asked, "Has Harry not returned from Dumbledore's office yet? Or did the foolish boy get himself killed while trying to save me?" She let a bit of worry seep into her voice for the last question to show that she was genuinely worried for his safety.

Just as Hermione was about to respond, Harry came through the doors, looking like he was dragged through muck and slime for hours. When he saw that Silver was awake, he broke into a wide smile. He would have hugged her right then and there, but Madame Pomfrey promptly led him to the showers, insisting that he clean himself off before she examined him.

Once Harry was cleaned and sitting in the bed next to Silver's, the entire story of the grand rescue was revealed. Lockhart had been manipulated into going down into the Chamber with them, because he claimed he knew how to kill the basilisk Ron's wand, which had been broken when he accidentally sat on it a few days prior, had caused Lockhart's memory charm to backfire. He had been transferred to St. Mungo's for irreversible Spell damage. Harry had gotten separated from Ron and Hermione, which is why he was the sole savior to Silver.

"How did you know that Harry would be in Dumbledore's office, though, Silver?" Hermione asked at the end of the tale.

"Well, I figured out that somehow I had given the Headmaster a fake diary once I awoke in the Chamber. I suppose Voldemort had possessed me for only a few moments yesterday morning, to switch out the diaries. I believe I had given Dumbledore my own personal diary instead, glamoured to look like Riddle's. Good thing I had my own privacy charms on it, or else Dumbledore would be privy to my own secrets," Silver replied.

"That still doesn't fully answer my question, though," Hermione protested. Silver gave her a significant look, one that true friends can interpret. "Oh! I see. Sorry I asked, then," she said, realizing that it was due to Silver's dreams.

Both boys looked between the two girls before shrugging. Madame Pomfrey ushered Hermione and Ron out of the Hospital Wing, insisting that her patients needed rest. Both Neville and Luna also visited before Silver was discharged. Harry had been discharged two days prior to her, since Fawkes' tears had healed the majority of his damage.

The remainder of the school year went by relatively uneventfully. Due to Harry's gallant rescue, Gryffindor won the House Cup for the second year in a row. The victims who had been petrified had been restored thanks to Professor Sprout and Madame Pomfrey.

On the train ride home, Ron excitedly told the group that he'd be visiting Egypt that summer. Hermione would be taking a trip to France with her family. They all looked forward to what the next year would bring.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

 **Hello! Thanks for reading so far. Here's the next chapter. I hope to be able to upload a bit more frequently now, since my major projects in RL have been completed.**

 **Psst-reviews would probably help me upload faster. ;)**

 **I hope you're all enjoying the story—now onto my personal favorite part so far! :)**

"Silver? Where are you, dear?" the voice of Margie Quigsby rang throughout the small house. She was looking around for her foster child, checking each room on the second floor before going down the stairs. She called again, and got a reply from the backyard. Opening the screen door, she stepped onto the small patio affixed to the house, taking in the overgrown backyard.

"Silver, I'm going over to Arabella's. Will you be all right on your own? There's money on the fridge if you wish to order food, and sandwich fixings if you'd prefer that," Margie called to the girl.

Silver looked up from her book, which she was reading while laying in the hammock resting between two trees, to respond, "I'll be fine, Margie. Have a good time with Mrs. Figg. Maybe this time you'll win your poker night with the girls."

Margie laughed at that, before adding, "Oh hush. You know we only gather to knit and gossip. She did want to watch a movie on the telly, though, so I probably won't be back until at least ten. If anything happens, the important phone numbers-"

"-Are next to the phone. I know, Margie. This may be the first time you're leaving me alone for more than a couple of hours, but you know I've always been independent. Would you mind bringing Mrs. Figg some of the biscuts I made yesterday? I'm afraid I'd eat them all if they're left behind," Silver replied with a smile.

"Of course, dear. Be sure not to stay too long out in the sun. I wouldn't want you to get burned," Margie replied.

"Will do. I'll see you tonight," Silver replied, bounding off of the hammock to give Margie a hug good-bye. Once she heard the front door close behind Margie, Silver went up to her room and grabbed her third year Defense textbook, a couple editions of the _Prophet,_ and a logic puzzle Harry had gotten her for her birthday two weeks prior. On the newspaper, Sirius Black, the notorious criminal, had his mug-shot splattered across the page with a headline of his escape. Silver settled back into her hammock, setting the papers and the puzzle onto the ground for later as she began to read once more.

Nearly an hour passed before she heard a sudden rustling coming from the bushes across the lawn. The backyard itself was fairly large, especially for the house that it was attached to, but the overgrown bushes and shrubs made the lawn seem smaller. There was also a small vegetable patch several meters from where Silver was lying; the rustling came from the bush to the right of it. Suddenly alert, Silver watched where the rustling came from with her wand drawn. The rustling increased until a big black mass came barreling into the backyard. It ran straight at Silver, knocking her out of the hammock. As soon as she recovered, she saw that the black mass was in fact an incredibly large dog, who seemed to be fascinated with the logic puzzle she had placed on the ground. It kept sniffing the puzzle, as if looking for a clue.

Silver cautiously approached the dog; when it saw her, it froze and stared at her with an intelligence she was not used to seeing in animals. After a quick glance, she determined that the dog was male and thus greeted him with, "Hey there, boy. I don't think you'd want to eat that puzzle there. It'd hurt your tummy." The dog just looked at her questioningly, before growling slightly as she approached the puzzle. She picked up the puzzle and offered it to the dog to sniff. He did so slowly; his tail started to wag as if he wanted to play. Silver started to notice the dog's appearance. He appeared to be underfed and unclean, as if he'd traveled a long way to get to where he was now.

Cautiously, she stood in front of the dog before saying, "You know, you're kind of an odd dog. Most ones that I know would either be growling at me constantly or bounding over to be petted, but you do neither. Are you thirsty?"

The dog woofed once, and she could hear the raggedness of that bark. Nodding her head, she said, "All righty, I'll get you some water. Stay here, boy, and I'll get it for you." She returned a short while later with a bowl of water and some leftover chicken from the night before. As she approached the dog, she saw him looking at the paper, almost as if he were reading it. Curious now, she approached the dog with the refreshments and placed them close to him. "I grabbed you some food, too, boy. You look like you haven't eaten in a long while, so I figured you wouldn't mind." The dog barked in response before tearing into the chicken with the fervor of a starving man. Silver settled herself down on the ground, picking up the paper.

"The paper says that a mad-man has escaped prison. I personally don't think he's necessarily mad, since he was imprisoned without a trial. I wonder how he did it, though? Azkaban is supposedly inescapable," Silver mused. She saw the dog's ears perk up a bit, although he kept eating and drinking as if he weren't listening. Silver picked up the puzzle and started working on solving it before saying, "My friend Harry got me this puzzle. It was a nice thought, but it's not nearly challenging enough for me. I've already beaten it several times, but it's something to keep me occupied when I'm not reading. It's a little mad that I'm talking to a dog, though. Only an animagus would be able to understand what I'm saying, but I don't suppose that's what you are, huh, dog?" She had noticed that the dog had looked up at her sharply at the mention of Harry's name, and again at the mention of being an animagus before drinking from the bowl once more. Once he was done, he trotted over to her with a snarl, pouncing onto her.

Quickly, Silver pushed against him, keeping her vital points away from vicious teeth, before yelling, "Get off me, mutt! I was just stating fact, and the fact that you are responding so aggressively to my ponderings means that I am correct." She broke off as he took a particularly aggressive nip onto her wrists before she used her feet to kick him off her towards the vegetable patch. Panting, she stood up in a fighting pose before leveling her wand at him. "I may be underage, but I am more than capable of defending myself, animagus. If I use magic against you, the Ministry will be swooping down in one fell swoop and you'll be exposed as the man you are." She was visibly shaking, but her wand was steady as she stared him down. Blood dripped from her wrists, which she ignored. The dog glared at her and started slowly stalking towards her, snarling.

"You do not scare me. Now, either change into a man and tell me what it is you want to know or leave and do not return. If you change, I will help you in any way I am able. If you leave, you will never get any information on Harry," she said, still glaring at the snarling animagus. A few minutes passed of them staring at each other, before the dog looked at her, resigned. Slowly, his bones lengthened and his hair grew back into his head. Soon, the bedraggled form of a shaggy, unclean and sallow looking man stood before Silver.

The girl lowered her wand and strode towards the man, whom she recognized as Sirius Black from the papers, purpose in her step. In a moment, she slapped him hard across the face. Black flinched and glared at her before saying, "That's helping, huh?" His voice was raspy from disuse, but it was better than it could have been due to the water and food he had received earlier.

"That," Silver replied, "was for biting my wrists. It bloody hurts, you know. Follow me." She walked towards the house, pausing at the door with an eyebrow quirked, waiting. Black approached her warily before following her into the house. Silver grabbed a couple of old towels before instructing, "Take off your shoes, Black. Margie will kill me if you track mud into here. Bathroom is down the hall on the right. There's soap in there, and here are some towels. I imagine you'll need more than one with the amount of dirt and grime you have all over you. Are you still hungry?" Numbly, Sirius shook his head, before replying, "The first thing you want me to do is bathe? I could kill you and you lead me into your home like it's nothing. Are you mad?"

"My friends sometimes think I am. I, obviously, do not think so. I figured you'd want to feel more human after being a dog for so long. Oh, the tap on the left makes the water warmer, while the one on the right makes it colder. They both go clockwise to turn on the water. Call if you need anything. I'm going to try to find you some clothes." With that, Silver disappeared upstairs, leaving Sirius baffled before he went into the bathroom. Nearly an hour later, Silver knocked on the bathroom door. "Enter," Black replied tiredly.

"I got you some clothes. They may not fit properly since they're mine, but it's better than nothing." Silver paused when she saw that he was just standing there, staring at himself in the mirror. He had a towel around his waist, and he looked incredibly hollow, both in appearance and expression. "Meet me in the living room when you're dressed and then we can talk, if you'd like." She left the clothes on the toilet and left the room.

A few minutes later, he returned to the living room and sat in the chair offered to him by the girl. Wordlessly, she fixed him a cup of tea and offered him a biscuit. He took one before taking a deep breath. He noticed that she had bandaged her wrists. "Why are you willing to help me? You'll get into to trouble if it's known that you helped a fugitive of the law," he began, his voice still quite raspy.

"You showed an interest in Harry. For that reason, I became curious. I am aware of your case, Black, simply because I had taken an interest in how the wizarding world handles criminals last summer and I've looked into the cases from the past twenty years. Yours is one that stood out to me, simply because you never had a full trial, even though you were supposed to. Why do you want to find Harry?" Silver replied coolly.

Black looked at her for a few moments before responding, "He is my godson. I wished to see him before tracking down the traitor who sold James and Lily out. He smells a lot like James did, and I smelled his scent here on that puzzle of yours."

"Hmm. Well, unfortunately I don't know where he lives. I suspect it isn't too far from here, though, since he's told me he lives with muggles who despise magic. There's an uppity muggle neighborhood a few blocks away where Mrs. Figg lives, where they all wish to best the others by having the most 'normal' houses they can. They shun the unique," Silver replied, before adding, "Oh, yes. How rude of me; I never introduced myself, did I? Silver Sullivan is my name. I'm in the same year as Harry at Hogwarts." She offered her hand to shake, which Sirius did before he resumed sipping his tea.

"Did you say Figg? As in Arabella Figg?" Sirius asked in return. At Silver's nod, he murmured, "I suppose that's a way of keeping Harry protected, but there isn't much Squibs can do in the face of any real danger."

"Who is it that you wish to find, aside from Harry? You mentioned a traitor," Silver asked.

"Peter Pettigrew! He sold Lily and James out to Voldemort when I transferred the responsibility of Secret Keeper to him!" Sirius shouted, suddenly animated in his anger.

Silver blinked in surprise, before responding, "Why would you transfer it though? They obviously trusted you more than him if they made you the Secret Keeper first."

"I thought it'd throw Voldemort off the case. Pettigrew is nothing special, easy to overlook. I thought he would protect them, but he didn't! Then when I confronted him, he blew up a street full of muggles before cutting off his finger and scampering off like the rat he is!" Sirius cried passionately. His eyes widened in horror once he realized the extent of what he said, though.

"So he is an animagus as well? Huh, would explain how he was able to fake his own death. Weren't all you lot in Gryffindor?" At Sirius's nod, Silver continued, "That's a very Slytherin move on his part then. As a rat, I suppose he'd have a penchant for staying alive as most rodents do. Where do you..." she trailed off before she answered herself, "The only other thing of note that was printed in the paper lately, aside from your escape of course, was the Weasley family trip to Egypt, and Scabbers is missing a toe."

"Who the hell is Scabbers?" Sirius asked.

"If my guess is right, I suppose it'd be Pettigrew. He's been living as the family pet for quite a long time," she replied.

They were silent for a few moments before Sirius spoke up, "I need to kill the bastard for selling out the Potters. Would you be able to help me? You're a student at Hogwarts, where Pettigrew will next be. You are a child, though, and it's a lot to ask of you."

"Ron still doesn't quite trust me, regardless of the fact that he helped save me last month. If Pettigrew is smart, he'd probably be terrified that you're out of Azkaban, thus would become unwell. If he's sick, then Ron would definitely not want Scabbers, I mean Pettigrew, out of his sight any time soon," Silver replied. After a few moments, she continued, "I suppose I could at the very least try to help. I won't do anything until we have enough evidence to expose Pettigrew for the little rat he is, or until either of us is able to catch him."

Sirius grinned at her then; it had been so long since he grinned, though, that it came out as a grimace. "You must be either a Gryffindor or a Ravenclaw with how sharp you are and your willingness to help, love. I should probably go now; I don't want to stay in one place too long or else the Dementors can find me."

"All right, then. I packed you a bag of food, as well as a couple of maps. Margie collects them, so there's multiple of the same region. Hopefully it'll get you to where you need to go. If you head east, you'll end up by the uppity Muggle neighborhood I mentioned," Silver replied. Sirius blinked in astonishment, taking the bag that Silver handed him before she shoved him out of the door. "Oh, by the way, Black. I'm a Slytherin and proud of it. Harry's in Gryffindor, though. Try not to scare him when you see him. I'd like to have him in one piece when I see him again."

Sirius stared at her for a few moments longer, before changing back into his dog form, grabbing the bag in his jaws, and trotting eastward.

Just before Silver closed returned inside, she spotted a flying woman, who was rapidly growing in size go past her house. Eyes widening slightly, she shook her head as she closed the door, dismissing the notion of a woman getting blown up.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

 **Yaaay I got a new follower! Thanks for reading. I feel like Silver's being** ** _too_** **perfect so I'm going to try showing some sort of weakness within the next few chapters. Even with her visions she shouldn't be able to know everything, right? Hmm. Guess I'll try. Let me know if you think it works. I'd love reviews. :)**

 **As always, I do not own Harry Potter. That right goes to JK Rowling. Silver is mine though. Enjoy!**

"You sure you'll be all right staying at the Leaky Cauldron, Silver? I'd hate to leave you alone for the next couple nights. I'm sure Arabella wouldn't mind watching you and seeing you off the train if you'd prefer," Margie said, as they approached the bar from Muggle London.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Your favorite cousin will only get married once, right? Besides, we both know how expensive plane tickets are to the States, and I wouldn't want to put you out that badly. Besides, I hear some of my friends are staying here for the night before the train leaves," Silver replied with a smile as she pulled open the door to the bar. "Maybe we could have a cup of tea before you go, though? Your plane doesn't leave for another few hours."

"Oh, I'd love to, but you know how atrocious traffic is on the way to the airport," Margie replied sadly.

"Yeah, I remember. Here, take this for your trip," she responded, handing her foster mom a bar of her favorite chocolate. "And this is for Genevieve," she added, handing her a small silver wrapped package.

"That's sweet of you, dear. I'm sure she'll appreciate it," Margie replied with a smile. Silver gave her one last hug before Margie handed her some money and left with her own suitcase.

After placing her trunk and Hermes's cage into her room, she went down into Diagon Alley. As she approached a large patch of grass near the ice-cream shop, she spotted none other than Harry Potter munching on an ice cream cone while sitting under a tree. Smiling at the sight, she quickly walked up to where he was sitting, purposely blocking the sunlight.

"Well, well, if it isn't Mr. Grand Adventure himself," Silver said sarcastically before she sat down next to him. She pretended to reach for his ice cream before he moved it out of reach.

"It's good to see you, Silver. What are you doing here, though? I thought you told me you got your school things ages ago," Harry replied, finishing off his cone quickly so he could talk unhindered.

"I sure did. I've gotten through most of the texts, too. Care of Magical Creatures looks like it'll be fascinating. Do you know who our teacher will be? After all, the previous professor retired last year," Silver asked.

"Nope, but how have you read the text? The book is alive and eats anything you put near its jaws," he replied incredulously.

"Exactly. It's alive. So you show it affection and it responds nicely. It took me a couple of tries, but it seems to like being stroked on the spine. Makes it relax and open up. Anyways, to answer your earlier question, Margie is heading to the States for her cousin's wedding and needed me somewhere safe so I'll be staying at the Leaky Cauldron until school starts. What about you? Usually I don't see you in the wizarding world before school unless you're staying with the Weasleys after a stint with the Muggles."

"Right, well I accidentally blew up my Aunt. Ran away from the Dursleys and ended up here. Fudge has me staying here until school starts, since he claims it's safer than the Muggle world."

"Oh really? I thought I was seeing things when I saw a woman flying past my house last week. She must have made you really mad if you lost control of your magic like that. It's been ages since I've been that out of control, but then again I grew up in Muggle foster homes so I had to learn how to control it young."

"Wait, you saw her? That means you don't live too far from the Dursley's then."

"I live about a dozen blocks west of Pivet Drive, I think. Margie doesn't let me walk outside on my own too often, so I haven't been able to explore the neighboring areas. The only reason I know where it's located is because she told me where it was. How are you doing?" Silver asked, turning so that she faced Harry. Both of them had their legs crossed, and she adjusted so that her knees were touching his as she looked into his face. Once again she was struck by how vibrant his eyes were as she awaited his reply. She saw him debate on whether to give a truthful answer or not before saying, "I've been better. People keep trying to hide things from me, and it's incredibly frustrating. Fudge wouldn't tell me _why_ I needed to be kept safe, just that I needed to be."

Silver nodded her head in understanding. "It's sometimes hard when adults think that they know better than we do simply because they're older than us. I personally think that some kids are smarter than adults simply because we notice more things subconsciously."

"I just wish I knew _what_ they were hiding. I mean, it would probably be less frustrating if I just knew why."

"My guess is because of Sirius Black's escape. He used to be friends with your parents, so maybe Fudge is afraid he broke out to hurt you? Most people think he's mad," Silver replied speculatively.

"He was friends with my parents? How did you know that?" Harry asked, alarmed.

"Well, I was doing some research into how the wizarding law system works compared to Muggles. I had started to think I'd go into law, but it's a bit too political heavy for me. Anyways, when Black's escape was published, I had coincidentally been reading the public reports from the seventies on the Death Eaters tried for Azkaban. Black had been sent to Azkaban without a trial, seemingly because his crime was too great and had several witnesses. Inside the case file, it said that he had been the cause of your parent's discovery by Voldemort."

"He did what!?" Harry attempted to stand up in protest, but Silver kept him in place with her knees and a firm shoulder touch.

"I figured he would have had to be friends with the Potters if he had been in a position to betray them like that. But things don't add up for me, Harry. The report says that Black was laughing like a maniac while holding a man named Pettigrew's finger after the explosion. There aren't any spells that would incinerate a man and only leave a finger. Not unless the finger had been cut off before the explosion, and even then an explosion of that magnitude wouldn't have turned Pettigrew to ash. It takes a lot of heat to turn a body to ash, and there wasn't evidence of a hot fire, only a brief explosion."

Harry looked at her in disbelief for several long moments. Silver could see the wheels turning in his head as he contemplated what she said.

"Are you really trying to explain a man's cruelty? He blew up a street full of Muggles and killed a wizard," Harry finally replied, confusion laced in his voice.

"I'm trying to analyze the situation. As it stands right now, the entire case is flawed and I think Black has been wrongly sentenced. Sure, he may blame himself for the Potter's deaths, but that doesn't mean he killed them or that he was on Voldemort's side. I think maybe he had escaped Azkaban to kill the man who _was_ responsible for their deaths. I guess we won't fully be able to know one way or another until more information is revealed, though."

"How do you think Pettigrew escaped then, if he wasn't incinerated?"

"Well, I had been reading about animagi in a textbook for this year, which is the ability to transform into an animal. If he were an unregistered animagus, he would have been able to cut his finger off and transform before escaping. That's just my guess, though."

They were both silent for several minutes, feeling the sun starting to set. Silver looked at Harry as he was thinking and couldn't help smiling at at the look of intense concentration on his face. Harry caught her eye before smiling a bit.

"Can we switch to a lighter subject? All of this thinking is making my head hurt," Harry complained.

"Of course we can. I'd like to grab an ice cream cone, though. Wanna come?" Silver asked, getting to her feet. Harry nodded and followed.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

 **Thanks for reading, here's a new chapter. I'd love it if I got a review...my inbox is looking lonely. If you have time, check out my other fic, _Peter Pettigrew: Revisited_. Although the main character shares a name with this fic's character, they are different people. I just like the name Silver. :)**

As always, I do not own the Harry Potter universe. That belongs to JK Rowling.

The next couple of days were spent spending time with Harry, until the day before the train arrived they came down the stairs to a familiar pair bickering.

Once they arrived at the ground floor, Silver saw Ron and Hermione, each holding an animal in their hands. Ron was holding Scabbers in a near death grip, while Hermione was holding an incredibly fluffy ginger haired cat with its face squished in, the mark of a Kneazle.

"You just need to control that crazy cat, Hermione!" Ron shouted at her, pulling Scabbers ever closer to his body.

"It's hardly my fault that Crookshanks is following his natural instincts!" Hermione retorted.

"Oooh what a pretty kitty cat, Hermione. Can I pet him?" Silver interrupted, approaching Hermione to pet the cat.

"Silver, Harry, oh it's so wonderful to see you!" Hermione exclaimed, bounding up to Silver and giving her a hug with Crookshanks in between them. The cat made a hiss of displeasure, which Silver placated with a pet on his head. Crookshanks purred slightly, and Silver took him from Hermione with a smile. Hermione then went to hug Harry. Silver let Crookshanks down once he had stopped hissing, and he wandered deeper into the bar, skirting the table legs.

"All right, Ron? You look like you got a lot of sun in Egypt," Silver remarked, smirking at his slight sunburn.

"I'm all right. Scabbers hasn't been feeling well, though. He hasn't been eating, and then that damn cat keeps scaring him even more," Ron replied with a glare towards Hermione.

"Oh, hush, you," Silver said, giving Ron a hug. He hadn't been expecting it, since the two of them weren't all that close. He returned the hug, smiling when they separated.

The group continued to chat a bit until the remainder of the Weasley's came around, gathering for lunch. Silver ended up next to Percy, where he proceeded to talk her ear off about his upcoming responsibilities as Head Boy and NEWTs. After lunch, Harry and Silver accompanied the Weasley's as they did any last minute shopping needed until it was time for bed.

The next morning was a bustle of activity as everyone made preparations to board the Hogwarts Express. Mr. Weasley had managed to get a couple of cars from the Ministry, and everyone piled into them to go to the train station. The cars were magically expanded so no one was cramped for space. They rushed down King's Cross until they got to Platform 9 ¾. Mrs. Weasley kept pushing them to go faster and faster, as the train was about to leave. Once everyone boarded, there was a monumental sigh of relief. Silver waved to her Gryffindor friends and headed to find Draco's compartment.

"I wonder why she never joins us on the trip to Hogwarts. If she's our friend, shouldn't she sit with us both ways?" Ron asked, perplexed.

"I'm not sure," Hermione replied. "Perhaps it's so her housemates don't think less of her for associating with Gryffindors? Come on, let's find a compartment. Oh, here's one. But there's someone in here."

"It's the only compartment left. We'll have to sit here. I want to tell you guys something," Harry stated, closing the compartment after determining the occupant (one R. J. Lupin) was asleep.

"I was telling Mother how much I adored her earrings, and to my surprise, she got me a pair! The sights in Prague were magnificent, Draco. It's such a shame you couldn't join us," Pansy Parkinson drawled as Silver entered the compartment. No one responded to her entrance, assuming that she'd just grab a book and ignore them as she'd done in the past. The compartment was comprised of Pansy, Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle.

"Did I hear you were in Prague, Pansy? It sounds exhilarating. Where did you stay?" Silver asked, while she hauled her trunk onto the rack above the seat.

"Yes, Sullivan. I was visiting my Aunt's Villa on the beach. Everything tastes better when you're near the ocean, and the food was exquisite," Pansy replied promptly.

"Good to hear. Are those the new earrings your mother got for you?" Pansy was wearing tear-drop emerald earrings, which brought out the Slytherin green lining of her robes. At her nod, Silver stated, "They suit you. They also go well with that necklace of yours from last year for Christmas, if I recall correctly." Pansy just stared at Silver as she sat down across from her, next to Crabbe.

"How was your summer, Draco? Were you in France again this year, or was it a quiet summer at home?" Silver asked, changing the subject.

"I was at home this year. Mother hosted a few parties, which I was obligated to attend even though they tend to be dull. Father was generous enough to introduce me to a few of his Ministry contacts in several prominent fields. I also flew quite a bit this summer; I've got to stay in top shape for Quidditch. Slytherin is bound to win the Cup again this year," Draco boasted, with only a touch of his usual pompousness.

"I hope so. Harry has been giving you a run for your hypothetical money, at least in Quidditch," Silver replied. As his mouth opened to protest, she continued, "You're exceptional in other fields, though. This year will be more challenging with our new electives. Let's hope it's a good one!" She smiled brightly at her classmates puzzled expressions. "How was your summer, Vincent?" she asked, turning to Crabbe. When he didn't respond, she turned towards him more fully before asking, "How about yours, Greg?" Neither boy responded, and she let out a huff of slight exasperation. "All right then, I'll ask you each later. I know you talk, even if it's not to the general public.

Both Draco and Pansy were staring at Silver with slight disbelief before Draco asked, "Why are you acting like a bloody Hufflepuff today?" Silver blinked in confusion before schooling her features a bit.

"Right. Sorry, I've been hanging out with the Weasley's the past couple days, and before that with Harry. I need to be a bit more...exuberant when they're around sometimes, to show that I'm interested in them." After her explanation, the compartment was quiet for a couple minutes.

"You've been hanging out with those poor blood traitors? They're like rabbits, with how many kids they have," Pansy replied nastily.

"They are good people, Pansy. I don't care much for the pure-blood stigma. Therefore, they aren't blood traitors to me. I grew up around Muggles until I started Hogwarts so I have respect for them, even if they have to work harder than we do to accomplish the same thing," Silver retorted. "Besides, hard work makes you appreciate the times of luxury. Not that you would know, living a life of privilege your whole life."

It was quiet for a few more minutes until Draco asked, "What else did you do this summer, Silver? Probably something completely plebeian since you live with a Squib."

Pansy gave a look of pure horror at his words. "You life with a Squib? That's horrible! They're worse than Mud-"

"Finish that word and your face will turn into a zit trap, Parkinson," Silver snapped, leveling her wand at Pansy with a deadly glare. Pansy seemed to shrink a bit under Silver's intense glare until she squared her shoulders and sniffed disdainfully.

"To answer your question, Draco," Silver replied, pocketing her wand, "I spent the majority of the holiday reading underneath the trees in our backyard. Margie allowed me to cook and bake unsupervised as well, which is a nice change in freedom. I'm a much better cook than her, though I prefer baking."

"You make food? Isn't that a job for house-elves?" Pansy asked, disgust evident in her voice.

"That is one of the many tasks that house-elves do, yes. However, house-elves are only prevalent in well-off families with old money. Margie is a Squib, which is considered one of the lowest forms of wizard kind, unfortunately. We live as Muggles, which suits me just fine until I turn of age. Even then, I'll probably still do some things the Muggle way since it's what I'm used to," Silver replied patiently.

Pansy was about to respond when the train began to slow suddenly. The air began to get colder. Within moments, the train was completely stopped and all five students' teeth were chattering. Silver's eyes widened as she realized what was happening.

"What's happening? Why have we stopped?" Draco asked, in a fearful voice.

"Dementors," Silver replied in a hushed whisper. All four of the other students gasped before Pansy whispered, "What do they want? We're not criminals."

"No, but they have an escaped prisoner, remember? They're probably looking for Black," Silver replied. As she said that, the compartment door slowly opened and a dried out, bony hand appeared in the threshold. They heard its rattling breath, and it smelled foul, like a rotting corpse (if any of them knew what that smelled like). Silver started to shake uncontrollably as the chill seeped into her bones; she felt like she'd never be happy again. Then, she heard several screams in her head, and chants of children taunting her as she blacked out.

When she came to, she heard, "Is she going to be ok? What do we do? Should we talk to the conductor or a prefect?" She internally smiled at the panic in Draco's voice before she groaned slightly. She felt weak and her head was pounding.

"She's coming around. Silver? Are you all right?" Pansy asked, gently taking her hand.

"I'm ok, Pansy. Look who has a soul," she replied in a hoarse voice, smirking slightly. "Help me up onto the bench, please." To her surprise, it was Crabbe and Goyle who lifted her up rather than the other two. She would have smiled her thanks, but only managed a slight nod.

"Can you hand me my bag? I can't get it right now," Silver asked in a hushed tone. It was incredibly difficult for her to speak because of how weak and cold she still felt.

Once she had the bag in her hand, she pulled out a few chocolate bars and offered them to her classmates before unwrapping her own.

"Eat it. It'll make you feel better," she said, insistently despite her weakness. She took a bite of her own and immediately felt the effects. It filled her with warmth, although she was still feeling quite weak. The others followed suit, and all gave a sigh of relief. Draco stopped shaking and Pansy didn't look as shell-shocked. It was silent for a few minutes as they all ate their chocolate, before Draco announced he was going to check on a few of his other friends. Silver just nodded and pulled out another chocolate bar.

"Where do you get all of the chocolate bars, Sullivan? It seems like you always have some, no matter what," Pansy remarked. There was no bite to her tone, just mere curiosity.

"Margie gets some for me any time she goes shopping, since the sweets shop is on her way home. I then stockpile them until term starts, or I buy them myself if I have the money. During term I mail-order them, though I have to go through Margie since the shop's run by a Muggle. I'll be starting a tutoring service this year for first and second years, if I get approval from Professor Snape. That way I get some pocket money and take some of the pressure off of Margie. I have a feeling I'll need a lot of chocolate to get through this year, if Dementors will be flitting about. I swear, the Ministry is getting more paranoid by the minute." Silver cut off, realizing that she may have said too much. She turned to face the window, watching the scenery fly by until they arrived at Hogsmeade Station. Draco had returned and when he spotted Harry he started to mock Harry for fainting on the train. Silver harshly elbowed him in the rib as she followed Harry to the Hospital Wing, where he, Hermione, and Ron were gathered.

As she approached, Madame Pomfrey asked, "Were you affected by the Dementors, too, dear?" Silver nodded and said, "I blacked out after a few moments. I've had a couple of chocolate bars, though I was wondering if you could check on my vitals just in case."

Madame Pomfrey tutted but cast a few diagnostic spells over both her and Harry before dismissing them for dinner. Silver walked to the Great Hall with the Gryffindors, before she exclaimed inelegantly, "Dementors suck! I've had to use seven of my chocolate bars already, and it's not even the first day of term! No wonder Margie wouldn't let me go to Hogsmeade this year."

"You're not going to Hogsmeade this year?" Harry asked in surprise. He was still unhappy about his own recuperation of the Dementor attack, although he was a lot better than he was after the attack. Silver nodded her head in agreement. "Nope, I'm not. Margie wouldn't give me a reason why besides that I was too young to be 'frolicking the village of reckless magical people.' Oh well, it'll give me more time to tutor or work on homework. Plus, we'll get to hang out since your relatives wouldn't give you permission either."

They arrived at the Great Hall. Silver waved to her friends before traipsing off to the Slytherin table. They had missed the Sorting due to their visit to the Hospital Wing, but they were still able to enjoy the feast. Dumbledore made a speech about playing host to the Dementors and introduced both Professor Lupin and Professor Hagrid before dismissing the students to their respective dorms.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

 **Here's another chapter! Please read & review. Silver's boggart idea came from one of my favorite Maurader Era time travel fics, called ****_Coming Home_** **by thewritingferret. Their character is also a seer, albeit a different kind. Read their fic if you'd like. As I said, it's one of my favorites. :)**

 **Disclaimer: I am not JKR, and anything you recognize doesn't belong to me.**

The first day of classes began with Care of Magical Creatures, which was with Gryffindors and Slytherins. Harry and Ron both complained about this, since they'd have to put up with Malfoy, but Hermione was looking forward to seeing Silver. As they approached Hagrid's hut, they saw most of the Slytherins were already there. Silver was chatting amicably to Draco about nothing in particular. When he spotted the trio, though, he cut her off and started insulting them. Silver kept silent, for once. She seemed lost in thought, but once the trio got close enough, she shook her head and sidled up to Hermione, greeting her with a hug. She glared at Draco pointedly and his insults became significantly quieter, causing the group around him to snigger.

Ron was about to ask what that was about when Hagrid appeared from the inside the forest, a string of dead ferrets around his neck. He led them into the forest to a padlock, where four majestic creatures who appeared half bird, half horse were contained.

"Right. Ev'ery one here?" At the class's murmurs of assent, Hagrid clapped his hands together and said, "Who can tell me what these creatures are?"

Hermione, as predicted, immediately shot her hand up. Draco, from across the way, did a mocking version of it. Silver also raised her hand, glaring at Draco once more. This time he ignored her, however, and Hagrid called on Hermione.

"They're hippogriffs. They're half eagle, half horse," she stated proudly. Hagrid beamed at her and gave her a point.

"Now, if you open yer books to the first chapter, we'll get going wi' the lesson," Hagrid continued.

"How?" the sharp voice of Draco Malfoy sounded.

"Eh?" Hagrid asked.

"How do we open the books?" he repeated, annoyed.

Hagrid's face fell as he looked around at the class; only Silver and Harry had successfully opened their books as he had instructed. He smiled brightly as Silver replied in a no-nonsense tone: "You stroke the spine. The books are creatures themselves, thus like to be treated as such. Petting it will make it open almost immediately, though I've found mine to appreciate being stroked near the head as well. Makes it easier to find the page I'm looking for."

"This thing has a head? Ridiculous," Draco muttered in response as Hagrid led one of the hipogriffs towards the front of the padlock by bribing it with the ferrets.

"All right. This is Buckbeak. The thing about hippogriffs is that they're proud creatures. _Never_ insult a hippogriff. It may be the last thing you do. Now, who wants to pet him?" Hagrid looked around the class expectantly. No one came forward, though Silver quirked an eyebrow at Harry when everyone around him took a step back, therefore volunteering him against his will.

"Harry! Come forward, he won't bite," Hagrid urged. Harry nervously came forward and awaited further instruction. "Keep eye contact and bow to him. If he bows back, you can pet him! If he doesn't...well best not worry about that yet."

Harry followed the instructions and bowed to Buckbeak, being sure to maintain eye contact. He didn't want to be caught off guard if the creature decided to attack. After nearly a minute, Buckbeak bowed back, and Harry cautiously began petting his head. Encouraged by this, the other students wandered over to the remaining Hippogriffs and pet them after bowing. Poor Neville ended up being chased by a tawny colored one before Hagrid could calm her down. Draco sulkily sat close to where Buckbeak was; when Padma finished petting him and moved on, Draco strode purposely towards the hippogriff.

"I bet you're not even dangerous, you big ugly brute," he said.

The effect was immediate: Buckbeak reared up, swinging his hooked front feet towards Draco. He screamed like a little girl and fell to the ground. However, when he looked up, he saw that Silver was standing where he was previously. Draco saw a deep gash along her arm where Buckbeak must have cut her; she pretended not to notice as she calmed the hippogriff down with some praise and gently pulled on the rope around his neck. He pawed the ground a bit, still glaring toward Draco's direction. Hagrid had come running as soon as he heard the scream, but stayed back a bit when he saw that Silver had it handled.

"You're all right, Buckbeak. Mean ol' Draco doesn't know what he's talking about. You're beautiful," Silver said to him, stroking his head with her right hand; her other arm was dangling by her side. She backed away from Buckbeak, allowing Hagrid to lead him back to his pen, and then rounded on Draco with one of her coldest looks.

"That was one of the most foolish things you've ever done, Malfoy. _Never_ insult a hippogriff. Listen to Hagrid when he speaks; he knows what he's talking about and you clearly do not know anything if you thought it wise to provoke Buckbeak."

Draco just stood and brushed his robes off. He returned her cold look before responding, "Well only an idiotic oaf would allow a bunch of third years around dangerous creatures."

"And only an ignoramus would believe that hippogriffs are inherently dangerous. This was a brilliant first lesson and one I'm not likely to forget, least of all because of my conceited, rashly acting housemate. Hagrid," Silver said as he approached, "Would you be able to provide me a note for the Hospital Wing? I'd like Madame Pomfrey to help with this gash. It's rather deep."

Hagrid replied with, "Best I escort you there meself. Class dismissed!" The class murmured to themselves before they followed the pair up to the castle.

Neville jogged to join Silver and Hagrid at the front doors of the castle, where he then proceeded to praise Silver for her quick action. He had to leave her once they reached the Hospital Wing, however, to make it to his next class on time, since it was in the Greenhouses. Silver was quickly discharged after Madame Pomfrey healed the gash, but she did wrap it to keep it from getting infected. Silver bid farewell to Hagrid as she headed to Defense Against the Dark Arts, a note in her hand.

...

When Silver walked into the DADA classroom, Professor Lupin had already started the lecture. As she quietly closed the door behind her, he called out, "Ah, you must be Miss Sullivan then? You were the only one absent from roll." He stood in front of a large wardrobe, which was rattling occasionally.

"Yes, Professor, that's me. I apologize for being late," she replied, handing him the note.

"Not a problem at all. I was just asking the class what they thought could be in this wardrobe. Now, does anyone have an inkling of what would be in here?" Silver waited a few moments until she raised her hand. At Professor Lupin's nod, she stated, "I believe it's a boggart. The only other creature I can think of that it could be is a Kruppa and those are much more difficult to obtain, as they are known to exist solely in ancient catacombs."

"Very good, Miss Sullivan. Can you tell me what a boggart looks like?"

"No one truly knows, since it takes the form of whatever is most feared by the one it is facing."

"Correct. Anyone know how defeat a boggart then?" Again Silver was the only one to raise her hand so at his nod she said, "The key to defeating a boggart is laughter. Therefore I believe transforming it into something humorous amongst a gathering of people would be most effective."

"Very good Miss Sullivan take 10 points for such eloquent answers. Now, the way to counter a boggart is, as Miss Sullivan said, laughter. There is a charm which I would like you all to repeat after me. No wands just yet. _Riddikulus!"_ The class repeated it back a couple of times before he had everyone line up in front of the wardrobe. He noticed, with a small bit of surprise, that Silver joined the queue as close to the end as possible, behind Draco Malfoy.

"I thought you'd be the first in line, Sullivan. You've been channeling Granger's eager teacher's pet attitude after all," Draco said quietly as Hannah Abbot started the line off. The boggart turned into a giant spider. She hesitated before calling out the charm, which caused the spider to don roller skates and topple to the floor. The class burst into laughter, which made the boggart fumble a bit until the next student came forward.

"Excuse me if I don't want my deepest fear broadcast to the whole class as soon as possible," Silver replied back, equally as quietly. Draco looked back at her and noticed the nervousness reflecting in her eyes and he blanched a bit. He had never known her to be afraid of anything, or if he had she was always careful to hide it. It was a show of how nervous she was that she let it appear on her face.

The line trickled down until there was only three students left: Pansy, Draco, and Silver. Pansy and Draco took care of their turns in no time at all and finally Silver was the only one left. As she approached it, it changed from a vampire wearing a sundress to an older version of herself.

This version was holding her left arm out, where a tattoo of a skull with a snake coming out of its mouth was engraved. This was the Dark Mark as she saw it in her mind, since she'd never seen one in the flesh. Her eyes were clouded and a raspy voice emanated from it-it was a jumble of nonsense but _death_ , _the Dark Lord_ , _Harry Potter_ , and _betrayal_ were legible. The younger Silver raised her wand and said shakily, "R-riddikulus." There was a crack but nothing happened. If anything, the muttering from the boggart got louder and more coherent. Silver tried two more times to change the boggart, but failed. She collapsed to the floor of the classroom, shaking uncontrollably as she quietly sobbed. Professor Lupin stepped forward and the boggart changed into a floating white disk. He calmly called the charm and banished the boggart back into the wardrobe, where it rattled around a couple times before it was silent. Turning to the class, he said, "I would like 12 inches on boggarts due at the next lesson. As I said at the beginning of class, keep today's lesson quiet until after Thursday when the rest of your year has completed it. Class dismissed." He crouched down and guided Silver to his office. Draco grabbed her bag and handed it to the Professor before muttering something about having to go to lunch and left.

Professor Lupin started a kettle of tea and returned to Silver's side. He hesitated for just a moment before he started rubbing her back and murmured consolation. It was a couple minutes later that Silver noticed this. Numbly, she shook him off gently, as she had stopped crying. She was still trembling a bit when she looked up at Professor Lupin.

"Would it be too much to ask to stay here for my lunch hour? I don't want to intrude but I also don't wish to face my classmates just yet." Her voice was hesitant and a bit shaky.

"I do not mind, but I do not have much here besides tea," he responded, handing her a cup of steaming jasmine. She smiled in thanks as she added a sugar cube to the drink.

"Don't worry about that. Melby?" A house elf popped into the room. She wore the uniform of a Hogwarts house elf: a large white shirt tied off at the waist, a small knit hat atop her head, and the Hogwarts crest pinned to her chest. "Yes, Miss Silver? What can Melby get for you?"

"Can you please bring me and Professor Lupin some lunch? Whatever is being served in the Great Hall would be great. Only if it isn't too much trouble, though. I know you're usually starting dinner prep right about now and I don't wish to inconvenience you."

"Oh it's no trouble at all, Miss Silver. Melby shall return soon." With that, Melby popped out of the room.

"You are friendly with the house elves?" Professor Lupin asked, amused.

"Yeah. I spend time in the kitchens whenever I can. Last term, Melby taught me how to make some of the best biscuits ever. Margie loved them, and I'd done a couple variations on them over the summer."

"And who would Margie be?"

"Oh, she's my foster mom. I've been living with her since I started Hogwarts." Melby appeared with the food, as well as a small table for them to use. "You call Melby when you is done Miss Silver or Mister Remus and Melby will clean up."

"Thank you very much Melby. Come by my dorm tonight, I want to share my biscuits with you." Melby beamed and agreed before she left once more. As Silver tucked into her sandwich, Professor Lupin said, "You seem to be feeling better. Think you will be up for your afternoon classes?"

"I feel much better. To be honest, confronting the boggart was more frightening than I imagined it'd be. I'm sorry if I ruined any of your lesson plans."

"You didn't ruin anything. I now understand why you went to the back of the line instead of the front like I had originally expected."

"Yes, well, I knew what my deepest fear was and wanted an escape if I needed it. Clearly, you became that when I ended up being a hysterical mess. Thank you for not just banishing me to the Hospital Wing, by the way. I don't think Madame Pomfrey would be happy that I came to her after two lessons today."

Lupin smiled kindly as he took a sip of his tea. His lunch was untouched.

"You really should eat something, Professor. I wouldn't want you passing out while teaching the rest of your classes. Students can be the most draining people in the world." He chuckled at that before he took a large bite of his own sandwich. "How did you get hurt in your last class anyways? Seems a bit adventurous for the first day back."

"I had taken a claw to the arm defending Draco Malfoy. Prat decided not to heed Hagrid's advice to avoid insulting a hippogriff." She took a sip of her tea, sighing in contentment. "This tea is my favorite, by the way. Thank you." She smiled brightly at him.

Professor Lupin blinked, taken aback a bit by her change in demeanor.

"That was rather noble of you, then. Do you make it a habit to save your friends from danger?"

"I suppose. Considering the majority of my friends are Gryffindors, they like to act before they think, which makes it harder for me to save their sorry arses. Harry especially tends to find himself in trouble, due to his natural curiosity and poor timing."

"A Slytherin who is friends with Griffindors. I never thought I'd see the day. The house rivalry is well known and has been going on for many generations. How did you manage that?"

"Well, Neville was my first friend at Hogwarts. I came to visit him in the Hospital Wing after our first flying lesson. He broke his arm, I gave him chocolate, and the rest is history. We've been best friends ever since. Because of my friendship with him, the other Griffindors aren't as wary of me, though I still get some dirty looks from the upper years. Were you in Gryffindor?"

"Yes, I was. Harry's father, James, was one of my best friends."

"Wow, really? Fair warning, then. Harry will probably ask you about his parents if he finds out you knew them. What year did you graduate Hogwarts, '76?"

"1977." Professor Lupin smiled at her, before finishing his tea. It was quiet for a minute before he asked, "Would you like to talk about the form your boggart takes? We don't need to, I just thought it might help." Silver sighed heavily, drinking the last of her tea. She summoned the teapot from Professor Lupin's desk and poured herself another cup, adding two cubes of sugar it this time. She offered him a cup, but he declined. He did raise an eyebrow at her successful summoning charm, as it was rather advanced for a third year student, but did not comment as he awaited her response.

"I've been having dreams of the future since the beginning of last year. They're typically morbid or show some pivotal event that is coming up, but I occasionally get perfectly normal dreams. Last week, I dreamt that Neville would get attacked by a tawny colored hippogriff in class, which came true today. Not all of my dreams come true, so it's difficult to separate fact from fiction, though I suppose the future isn't static. As you saw, my greatest fear is that Voldemort or someone else will learn of my ability and exploit it. I may only be thirteen, but I can see the advantages of having someone who sees the future on your side. I've gotten used to the visions, and I fill my sketchbook with them so they don't clutter my head. I suspect that I'll start getting visions during waking hours soon enough, since I start Divination tomorrow. It's rather nerve wracking." She paused for a moment, gauging his reaction. She saw no judgment in his eyes, just curiosity and a twinge of fear, though she had a feeling the fear wasn't in relation to her admission. "I am not entirely sure why I told you all of that. Only my friend Luna knows the full extent of what I see, because she is the only one who helps me see the sense in them and she doesn't fear it. She thinks much differently than my other friends, thus is my most valuable ally in times of confusion." It was quiet for a few more minutes as Professor Lupin processed her words.

"You are incredibly strong, Silver. I wouldn't be able to handle that burden at any age; I can only imagine what you are going through."

"Thank you, Professor. Would it be all right if I came to talk to you every once in a while? Not only about my dreams, but about other things. I have a feeling we could be friends, as much as a Professor and a student can be, anyways." She smiled cheekily at this. He chuckled a bit before replying, "Yes, I suppose that would be all right. It would need to stick to mostly academic subjects though; I do not wish for people to interpret our friendship as something else."

"Understood. It looks like the hour's almost up. I should probably get going. I have Transfiguration next, and you probably know how much Professor McGonagall frowns upon tardiness," she replied ruefully. "Thank you again for the tea and letting me stay for lunch. Oh, would you like some chocolate? I always have some on me."

His eyes lit up a bit before he replied, "Yes, I would, as long as you're able to spare some. I'm partial to dark chocolate, though any kind will do."

"Here, take your pick. These are all the dark chocolate ones I have with me. Sorry that I'm out of dark chocolate almond though. They're Nev's favorite, and you can imagine why he'd need some after being chased by a hipogriff." His eyes widened slightly at the selection; he hadn't realized she'd have so many different kinds. Grinning, he took a sea salt caramel one. Unwrapping it a bit, he broke a piece off and bit into it. His eyes widened comically and he broke into an enormous grin.

"This is by far the best chocolate I have ever had, and I've had Honeyduke's finest." Realizing who he was talking to, he instantly become more subdued, although his grin hadn't faded. Silver had a matching grin as she replied, "Works every time. I give a new friend chocolate, and they instantly love me. Anyways, I'll see you later, Professor. Thanks a lot for the help. Hope your day goes smoothly." With one last parting grin and a wave, Silver left. A few moments later, Melby popped in to collect the dishes and the table, bowing to Professor Lupin before she left.


	20. Chapter 20

**For this chapter, I have a few segments of PoA interspersed into my own plot. I couldn't think of a good way to describe Trewlany other than as an overgrown insect. I've italicized the direct sections. Since I now have the books again (yay!) I'll try to be a bit more accurate as far as timeline plot goes. This year's lessons have already been messed up (oops) but I blame my shoddy memory for that. In PoA, the classes go in a different order than mine. I have the Gryffindors' DADA class the day after Divination, which is the same. I don't have them sharing it with Silver (obviously since I had her class earlier) I've also changed the time of Arithamacy for Hermione and Silver (since in the book this class is at the same time as Divination and Silver doesn't have a time turner so wouldn't be able to take both otherwise). Any direct segments of the text will be italicized.**

 **If anyone ever wants a schedule, let me know and I can post it with whatever chapter I'm working on.**

 **Please read and review. Reviews make me happy!**

 **Disclaimer: I am not JKR and this world is hers**

… **...**

The next day after breakfast, Silver bid farewell to her housemates as she trekked to the North Tower. None of the other third year Slytherins were taking Divination, so she sidled up to Neville as soon as she arrived at a small platform at the top of steep, winding stairs. It had taken her a while to get there, since she hadn't been to this part of the castle before.

"Are you all right, Silver? I didn't see you at lunch yesterday and I heard from Ernie that you had some trouble with the DADA lesson."

"I'm fine, Nev. I had lunch with Prof Lupin after class. He was helping me with the topic of the lesson and we got to talking about other things. Sworn to secrecy until your lesson though, sorry."

"As long as you're ok. Oh look, here come our friends," he said as Harry and Ron approached. He was about to ask where Hermione was but at that moment a ladder appeared from the trapdoor in the ceiling, nearly hitting him on the head. Silver had tugged his arm to prevent it, as she had noticed it before he did.

Harry led them all up to the classroom, which was furnished with plush armchairs and ottomans surrounding small tables. There were shelves along the walls, crammed with assorted items such as teacups and crystal balls. The windows and lamps were all shuttered with red fabric, giving the room a dim red glow. It was stiflingly warm, and Silver got the impression that the room was designed for making students fall asleep. She hadn't read too far in the Divination book, but knew that many seers believed that such an environment brought them closer to the magical plane.

As if her thoughts had summoned her, a misty voice called from the shadows of the room, "Welcome. I am Professor Trelawney." A witch with large spectacles appeared in the center of the room. She was frail looking, with spindly arms and legs and wearing a shawl which draped over her entire torso. _"So you have chosen to study Divination, the most difficult of all magical arts. I must warn you at the outset that if you do not have the Sight, there is very little I will be able to teach you. Books can take you only so far in this field..."_ Both Harry and Ron instinctively looked to Hermione, who had apparently come into the classroom with everyone else. She looked startled that books couldn't help her as much. Professor Trelawney continued, " _Many witches and wizards, talented though they are in the area of loud bangs and smells and sudden disappearings, are yet unable to penetrate the veiled mysteries of the future."_ This pronouncement was then followed by their course schedule for the year and a few predictions. After dismissing them to drink their tea to glean the future from tea leaves, Silver found herself paired with Neville. As Trewlany predicted, he broke his first cup and picked out another from the shelf. The two of them drank their scalding hot tea as quickly as they could without hurting themselves. Neville was quite understandably nervous about what Silver would glean from his leaves. Silver could hear Ron and Harry talking about their own predictions- Hermione had paired with a different student.

"What do you see, Silver? Proabably something horrible, knowing me," Neville whimpered a bit.

"Ah, none of that, Neville," Silver reprimanded gently. "Remember what I told you about being your own worst critic?" At his nod, she continued, "Well, you're doing it to yourself. Let's see..." She took his cup and rotated it until the tea leaves settled into a shape. "I see...a cross, which means suffering and sacrifice." Neville looked glum, and was about to speak once more before Silver rotated the cup again and continued, "And then you have a rabbit, which means need for bravery." She rotated the cup again, "followed by wavy lines, which means an uncertain path." Rotating it one final time, she finished with, "And finally, you have the snake, which means danger, but also wisdom." She said all of these with such sincerity that Neville wondered if she did indeed have the ability to see the future, as she had disclosed to him. He stared at her for a moment. Professor Trewlany flitted by them; when she saw that neither of them were speaking, she asked, "Having trouble, dears? Remember to look beyond what you see in the cup." Neville sputtered a bit; he didn't have a response to that. Silver looked up at the Professor and stated, "Isn't the point to read the leaves and determine the future from the signs presented?"

"Yes. Those with the sight must be able to glean the future from the leaves if one is to be successful." Professor Trewlany then flitted over to Harry and Ron's table before requesting to see Harry's cup. Neville had started to try to interpret Silver's cup, but she placed her hand on top of his to gain his attention; she nodded to the two other boys' table when he looked up.

Professor Trewlany kept giving Harry ominous readings of his leaves until she nearly dropped his cup in shock, exclaiming that he got the Grim. When Hermione expressed her disbelief of the notion, Silver wandered over and peered into the cup.

"If that were the Grim, it'd be bigger with a more pointed nose. That's just a dog, which indicates a friend. Meaning he will find a new friend soon," Silver stated, again with confidence that no one else had. Trewlany dismissed the class after stating that Silver must not have the sight, that not everyone does.

Silver walked her Gryffindor friends to Transfiguration; she had a free period next and wished to keep them company. Everyone was silent.

"I think that Trewlany loves a dramatic class," Silver stated, "There's no way that the dog in your cup was a Grim. They're exceedingly rare to get."

"Trouble always finds me, though. What if this time it's the truth?" Harry asked glumly, mindlessly following Silver into a hidden corridor. Neville, Ron, and Hermione followed, leaving the rest of the Gryffindors to trek down the hallway unnoticed.

"Oh, please, Harry. You've faced Voldemort, supposedly the darkest Lord to grace Europe since Grinenwald. I doubt the so-called omen that Professor Trewlany saw in your cup would make any difference. Besides, I saw a dog, which is a sign for 'friend.' She was blowing your entire cup way out of proportion. I may be wrong. But as I said before, I have a feeling she just likes being dramatic to make an impact on her new students," Silver sated, trailing down a flight of stairs.

"You haven't seen any big black dogs around, have you Harry?" Ron asked fearfully.

"Yeah, actually I have. The day I left the Dursley's," Harry replied. Ron stopped mid-step down, nearly tripping down them. Neville caught his arm so he didn't fall. Ron had gone as white as a sheet, "But that means you've seen the Grim!"

"Not hardly," Silver scoffed. "I'll have you know that I saw one that day too, and since neither of us have died of fright yet, it wasn't a Grim." At Ron, Hermione, and Neville's perplexed looks, she continued, "I don't live too far from the muggles Harry lives with. I found that out a few days before we started school, when I ran into Harry in Diagon Alley."

They came to a halt at the entrance of the Transfiguration classroom. "You will want to pay attention to this lesson, all of you. It's important. Don't let this omen thing get you down, Harry. I'll make sure nothing bad happens to you." Silver smiled before giving them all a brief hug and meandering down the hallway. The three Griffindors looked after her, a bit perplexed once they realized that they had beat the rest of their classmates to the classroom.

 **A/N I don't normally do authors notes at both the top and the bottom, but I wanted to get some info to you guys after I wrote the chapter. I found the omens and their meanings based on a tea leaf reading site, so they're based on that site.**

 **I am also participating in NaNoWriMo starting tomorrow, so I will do my best to post the same day I write a chapter (I'm doing this fanfiction as my "novel" since I'm determined to finish it). Wish me luck, thanks for reading, and please review if you'd like. I like reviews. :)**


	21. Chapter 21

Potions class was first thing in the morning the next day, much to the Gryffindors' chagrain. Silver sat with Neville, as she had done last year. Hermione sat on his other side, followed by Ron and then Harry. When Professor Snape began the lesson, it was clear that he was in a foul temper, looming over everyone's potions with a sneer and a snarky comment.

"No, Neville! Use only one rat spleen, not two. It'll make the potion more unstable and change it to the wrong color. Focus on the instructions, not on the atmosphere of the room," Silver instructed quietly, when Professor Snape was lingering over Pansy's cauldron. She didn't want to catch his ire; even though she was in his house, he didn't always encourage help between students unless they were working on the potions together.

"I'm trying, Silver, but it's really hard to focus with the Professor in this state. I'm afraid I'll mess up," Neville replied, a touch fearfully. He was about to add more to his potion, until Silver stilled his arm before he could.

"Re-read step six, Nev," she muttered, letting him go. Professor Snape hovered over the two of them, inspecting their potions. He sneered at Neville's consistency; it was a bit runny, and gave a curt nod to Silver's, which was the perfect shade of green. He moved on to Harry and Ron's, which were decent but not great. Despite the Professor's vengeful mood, the class went on without any specific person setting him off, much to Silver's relief.

Until Neville added one drop too many of Armadillo Bile, which made the potion hiss noticably and turn a putrid yellow instead of the forest green it was supposed to be. Professor Snape was on Neville's case immediately, and promised to use the potion on Trevor once class was over. He sharply stated that no one was to help him. Neville had a look of despair upon his face as he begged Silver to help him.

"Neville, calm down and think about what you did," Silver instructed quietly. He gained a look of concentration; Snape had begun circling again when he stated, "Since I added one drop too much of the Armadillo Bile, that means that I need something to counteract the acidity. Right?" At Silver's nod, he looked around at his ingredients before reaching for lemongrass. Professor Snape was hovering nearby, intently listening though pretending not to; he was reprimanding Seamus for exploding his cauldron again.

"So in theory, a non-acidic ingredient would nullify the intensity of the bile. Hmmm. Lemongrass or lavender?" Neville was thinking out loud, while Silver was looking on; she wanted him to make or break his potion on his own. Hermione was itching to help him, but refrained from doing so when she saw how hard he was working out the answer himself. Neville flipped through the pages of his book once more before a look of relief flashed upon his face. He added one strand of lemongrass and a drop of dittany; the potion fizzled once more before settling into the correct shade of green. Looking over the steps once more on the original potion, he went to work on making adjustments as needed with the new ingredients; he didn't want the potion to react badly once more.

At the end of the class, Snape strode over and took a dropper of Neville's potion. "If Longbottom was able to correct his potion, his toad should turn into a tadpole. If not, it'll most likely be poisoned." He placed a drop onto Trevor. A few moments later, Trevor turned into a tadpole. Wordlessly, Professor Snape procured another vial of potion and returned Trevor to his full size.

Professor Snape then dismissed the class with a swish of his robes. "Miss Sullivan. Stay a moment," he called from the front of the room. Silver waved to her friends before trekking up to his desk.

"Longbottom was able to succeed in fixing his potion. It wasn't the most eloquent way he could have done it. Have you been tutoring him?"

"Yes, sir, I have been. We have a study group going, and have had one since first year," Silver replied.

"Why come to you instead of a member of his own house?"

"I'm his best friend. Plus I encourage finding the answer for yourself rather than typical memorization and parroting, which is how he was able to figure out how to fix the potion."

"Then why have I not seen improvement in his brewing skills while in class?"

"You frighten him, sir. It's quite difficult to use your brain effectively when you're scared out of your wits that you'll do something wrong. His essays have gotten better, though, from what I've noticed."

"Hmmm, yes they have gotten marginally better. With your assistance, he might become a competent brewer, though that's doubtful." There was a few moments of silence until Silver spoke once more.

"Sir?" At his nod, she hesitantly continued, "I noticed that you were particularly critical today. Is it because you were unable to secure the Defense Against the Dark Arts position?" At his guarded expression, she amended, "you don't need to tell me anything; I just wanted to make sure you were all right. I don't wish to invade your privacy."

There were a few moments of silence as Professor Snape assessed Silver. She kept her face blank yet open enough to show that she was waiting for an answer.

" _Professor_ Lupin and I have history. As such, I was against his appointment to the school. I think the Headmaster made the wrong decision, and I hope the school sees soon enough why," Professor Snape replied at last, sneering at the title. "Do not breathe a word to anyone that I said that, Miss Sullivan." He affixed her with a sharp glare.

"Of course, not, sir," Silver replied. "Do you need me for anything else, sir? I need to get to Charms."

"No, you are dismissed." He handed her a hall pass. When she reached the door, he said, "Five points to Slytherin for assisting an incompetent student to succeed properly." Silver smiled and headed to Charms.

Later, after dinner, Silver was hugged from behind by Neville. Luna, who had been walking beside her, turned with a dreamy smile on her face, amused at the affection.

"Woah, Neville! What's going on? I haven't seen you this happy in ages!" Silver cried, turning around in his hold to return the hug before pulling away.

"I did it, Silver! I faced a boggart and didn't choke," Neville cried cheerfully. His face was split into a wide grin.

"That's great, Neville! I'm glad you did well," Silver replied, a smile on her own face. Luna also offered her congratulations. It seemed that Neville just noticed that she was there, for his smile turned sheepish.

"Sorry did I interrupt something?"

"Oh no, Silver was just walking me to my dormitory. I help keep her Wrackspurts away," Luna replied.

"Yep, you do. Would you like to join us, Neville? We can walk you to your common room, too. Safety in numbers and all that," Silver offered. "Though with how you took down that boggart perhaps you'd be the one protecting us."

Neville looked at her with a twinge of surprise. "What do you mean, Silver? You're the best at every subject, aside from Hermione, of course. Why would you need me to protect you?"

"I have yet to successfully beat a boggart, so that's something you're better at than me. I ended up in hysterics during my class, which is why Professor Lupin had lunch with me that day," Silver replied, setting off up the grand staircase.

"Hold on, why are you walking Luna to her dorm? It's in the completely opposite direction from yours," Neville asked, confused. He too had started walking up the stairs, with Luna beside him.

"I like exploring the castle, Nev. Besides, I know which corridors to avoid so I don't run into Filch on my way down. And anyways, curfew hasn't changed yet, despite the heightened security, so it's not like I'll get in trouble as long as I'm back in time for bed." She handed him a chocolate bar, and then one to Luna. They both smiled at her, though they pocketed the candy for later.

It was quiet for a few minutes, aside from Luna's mindless humming. Neville was nervously looking at Silver; she caught on to this and said, "Nev, just ask what you want to know."

"Er, ok. I was wondering what your boggart was. It had to have been horrible to shake you; you're the bravest person I know." It was quiet for a moment, then Silver took a deep breath and replied, "My biggest fear is to be used by Voldemort as a Seer. My boggart took the form of an older version of me who was serving him as a Death Eater."

"But that would mean you can see the future. I thought your dreams were just coincidents last year."

"No, they're real visions of the future. Since the future changes, I get many different outcomes, which can be severely disorienting. When I was reading your tea leaves in class, though, I didn't see visions. I just saw the signs as they were, and what they felt like to me. I think with time it will get clearer, as I learn what everything means. What is real and what is fake," Silver explained.

"I think it's all real. It's just a matter of what will happen versus what could happen," Luna said.

"That's true. My biggest fear is that I'll be used as a tool, for anyone. Voldemort was just the first one I thought of that would think to use me as such. Though now I think others would as well. Knowing the future can be life-changing. Which is why I want as few people knowing about this as possible. Can you please not tell anyone my fear? I think my classmates have an inkling, since they saw my boggart, but I don't think the majority of them understood what they saw. I will tell Hermione next, though I might wait a bit on that."

"Why wait? She's one of your other best friends," Neville countered.

"She has an incredibly full class load. I don't want to make her have another project, as you know as well as I do that she will have difficulty accepting it without more research. She is incredibly skeptical of Divination; how would she handle it if I told her I was a seer?"

They had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady. Before Neville said the password, Silver hugged him and wished him a good night. The two girls wandered off up to Ravenclaw Tower, where Silver left Luna before trekking back down the stairs. Checking her watch, she determined that she still had enough time for a bit of exploration, and let her feet guide her.

After a few minutes of mindless wandering, she found herself on the seventh floor once more. This time, in front of a tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. She went down the corridor further; it was a dead end so she returned past the tapestry. She was lost in thought about her own history, wondering if there were other seers in her family, when she accidentally passed the tapestry for a third time. She heard a small creak; there was a door in the previously blank wall. Looking around, she approached it. The door was an old wooden door with a worn handle; it seemed harmless enough.

Cautiously, she turned the handle, with her wand drawn. She stepped inside the room and her mouth gaped open. The room was covered, floor to ceiling, in large bookshelves. Directly across from the door, she could see a large portrait of a man; above it was a coat of arms similar to the Malfoy's. This one, however, centered around birds rather than snakes. The man in the portrait was looking at Silver with curiosity. The nameplate read _Rodrick Sullivan._

"Excuse me, sir," Silver said as she approached the portrait. "Can you tell me where I am?"

"You are in my library. I had hidden it before my death, so that those who gained knowledge for power would be unable to exploit it for their own nefarious deeds. It can only be accessed by my family, which means that you are a descendant of mine," Rodrick replied primly.

"I would be, I suppose. From my father's side, since he shares your surname. My name is Silver Sullivan. May I call you Rodrick, sir, or would you prefer something else?"

"My, my, you are polite. My own son had never been one for propriety so I commend you on that count, Miss Silver. You may call me Rodrick if you wish. Can you tell me the year, young one?"

"It is 1993," Silver replied promptly.

"Oh, how time flies. My last visitor was in 1964, by a man named Jasper. His visit was short lived, however, as he sought knowledge for the acquisition of power. He wanted to serve some Dark Lord or another. I didn't keep track overmuch since he didn't bother talking to me beyond introductions."

"That would be my father, then. I don't remember too much about him, since I was only six when he left me for some reason or another."

"Shame on him. No one should leave their child unless they have something horribly wrong with them. You're not a Squib, are you?" Rodrick shuddered in horror at the thought.

"I should think not, since I'm attending Hogwarts at the moment. I found this room while exploring the castle. Is that a normal occurrence?"

"Heavens, no. Although, I suppose if the castle has a room that would send you to this study, it would have to be out of need. As I said earlier, only members of the Sullivan family can access this room. What were you thinking about when the room presented itself to you?"

"I was wondering if there were any other Seers in my family. I suspect I am one, since I get visions of the future in my dreams. Do you know of any, Sir Rodrick?"

"Seers in our family? Hmmm there was Mabelline, in 1689. She kept screaming about nightmares she'd have of our family members across the sea in America. No one took her seriously, though, since she was a nutter at the best of times. Honestly, I think whatever she saw drove her mad. Kept spouting nonesense of people being burned at the stake."

"1689? That was a few years before the Salem Witch Trials. A bunch of muggles kept persecuting others as witches and killing them. One of the methods was burning at the stake, though the few real witches they caught would just use a charm to make the burning ineffective."

"Indeed? Muggles are completely barbaric," Rodrick scoffed. "Still, I suppose that answers one of your questions. There was a family member who had visions of the future. Feel free to peruse the stacks for more information if you'd like. Some of those volumes have been there since before I was born, so mind that you're careful. The ones to the right and left of my portrait are more extensive in the family histories, so you would do best to start there."

"As much as I would love to read up on them now, I need to get back to my dormitory before curfew. I think I'll be able to access the library again if need be; I now know where to look. Thank you for your assistance, Sir Rodrick," Silver called, as she was close to the door.

"No need to call me Sir, Miss Silver. I have not been knighted. Rodrick will do. Please come again soon; you are delightful company." Rodrick gave a nod goodbye as Silver closed the door.

Silver returned to her dormitory, after ensuring that the door closed and vanished behind her. She had to duck behind a hidden tapestry to avoid being discovered by Filch, but she made it back to the common room just a few minutes past. Ignoring her classmates, she ambled up to bed and fell asleep.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

Defense Against the Dark Arts quickly became everyone's favorite subject. The only person who could find fault was Draco Malfoy, who often critiqued Professor Lupin's attire. No one paid him any attention when he rambled on about that, as his fellow classmates didn't care much what the Professor looked like; just the way he taught.

As the month of September drew to a close, Silver noticed that Harry was growing to despise Divination. It was no wonder, since Trewlany kept predicting that he would die in many different ways. Finally, Silver brought it up with Harry during a study session in the library.

"Trewlany loves predicting many grisly ends for you, huh, Harry?" At his glum nod, she continued, "Well I've said it before, I'll say it again. Her predictions are a bunch of, as Hagrid would say, codswallop. If you take it too seriously, you'd never be happy again."

"But the rest of the class seems to take her seriously, and with my history something's bound to happen sometime, right?"

"Maybe so," Silver conceded. "However, if you live in fear of the unknown, you'll never see the opportunities to shine brighter. If you hadn't rescued me from the Chamber last year, I'd be dead. And the year before that, you faced a man possessed by Voldemort's soul."

"I needed to do that; no one else would," Harry protested. "How do I know that these predictions won't eventually come true?"

"Then they come true. You have to accept the possibility of being in danger, but having the courage and skill to overcome it is why we learn what we do." Her friends were quiet for a moment, with the only sound coming from Hermione's scratching quill. Silver paid no mind to this; she knew that Hermione was still listening, albeit distantly. After a few minutes, everyone had returned to their work.

Luna approached the table and soundlessly sat next to Silver, pulling out her own work. The rest of the table didn't notice, but Silver did give Luna a small smile when she placed a small flower on top of Silver's potion homework. The rest of the period was spent in silence aside from the boy's occasional questions.

After Potions class during the second week of October, Silver approached Professor Snape's desk, her vial of the day's potion in her hands. She placed it in the prescribed cauldron, and waited for the rest of her classmates to leave before speaking.

"Professor Snape?" she began. At his nod, she continued, "I was wondering if I would be able to set up a tutoring program to assist younger years with their studies. It doesn't have to be only for Potions, but as my Head of House, I was hoping you'd have some insight into how I could start the program."

"Well, Miss Sullivan. It is...admirable that you wish to assist your fellow students with their studies, beyond merely helping your classmates. I have the form you'd need to fill out. However, you would do well to keep in mind that I do not give extra credit to anyone, regardless of the amount of effort they expel outside of class. Other Professors may be more lenient, though, so you will need to discuss it with them directly. If you wish to make it a Club, to get more...variety in teaching methods, you would need to register it with a name."

"I had thought about making it a club, sir. But if I were to make it a club, I wouldn't be able to charge for my services, would I?"

"Ah, so this endeavor isn't out of the simple goodness of your heart? I should have known better. After all, you are a Slytherin, not a simpering Hufflepuff. I unfortunately would not be able to sanction any tutoring for monetary gain, as it would violate one of the school rules."

"I didn't see any rules against tutoring for money, sir," Silver stated, a bit perplexed.

"Perhaps not, but one of them in the later editions does state that it is against the rules for a Professor to back a student who is tutoring for monetary compensation instead of extra credit. Foolishness imparted to prevent gambling."

"Oh, I see." Silver thought for a moment before asking, "Would you be able to assist me in finding potential students to tutor? I do not know the younger years as well as I could. My rates would be fair, especially considering that I know that not everyone can pay but need the tutoring. I'm willing to work with the student to figure out a fair incentive."

"I cannot give you a list of students who are failing. It breaches the code of conduct. However, I can suggest to the students who need assistance to seek you out. I would recommend you do the same for your other classes, though be careful that you do not take on more than you can handle, Miss Sullivan."

"I will be careful, sir. Thank you, Professor Snape." Silver gave a small smile to the Professor before leaving his classroom, running to get to Charms on time.

She inquired with her other professors, who each commended her for wanting to tutor the younger years, but gave the same answer as Professor Snape; that the students would have to come to her.

Silver also put the word out among her classmates that she was open for tutoring, for a small price. After a week of waiting, she still had not gotten any inquiries; she reasoned that it was because it was too early in the term.

On October sixteenth, Silver was passing the Transfiguration classroom, where the Gryffindors were gathered before their class, when she spotted Lavender Brown crying heavily. She stated that her bunny had been killed by a fox; Trewlany's prediction had come true, in Lavender's eyes. Hermione, however, poked holes into that theory, when she stated that since Lavender's bunny was a baby, she could hardly have been dreading his death. Ron made a comment about Hermione not caring much for other people's pets before they were ushered into the classroom by Professor McGonagall.

As Silver was on her way to Arithamacy, she suddenly stopped when she saw Hermione outside the door to the classroom. She had just seen Hermione with the other Gryffindors in Transfiguration, yet here she was at Arithamacy. Furrowing her brows in confusion, she sidled up next to her friend. Hermione saw Silver's look of confusion and asked, "Is everything all right, Silver? You look confused. The lesson hasn't even started yet."

"Yeah...can you remind me of the date, Hermione?"

"It's October sixteenth. Have you heard about the Hogsmeade trip coming up at the end of the month?"

"I have. As I told you before school started, I won't be going. I suppose I'll spend some time with Harry, since he can't go either. Although, knowing him, he'll want to find a way to go anyways."

"Oh, but you mustn't! That'd be breaking dozens of school rules, and you know how the Dementors affect you both." Hermione stated critically.

"I know that, Hermione. I'm just telling you how I think it'll happen." As they settled into the classroom, Silver causally asked while Hermione was rifling through her overfilled bag, "How was Transfiguration? I myself had a little bit of difficulty turning my tortoise into a teapot."

"Oh, it was fine. I got it by the end of class, though I would have preferred it to not still have the coloring of the shell. Have you got an extra quill? I seem to have lost mine."

"Yes, of course. Here you go," Silver replied, handing her a new quill. She quickly changed the subject, lest Hermione catch on to the fact that she let too much information slip to her best friend. Silver filed the information away for later use, before focusing on the lesson.

The time of the Hogsmeade trip came, on Halloween. Silver was dressed up in another Halloween themed outfit. Her witch's hat was orange, with black cobwebs weaving around it and a fake spider sitting atop the bridge of the brim and the tip. Her robes were also orange, with sparkly black spider webs, and her socks were orange and black striped thigh highs. Her shoes were black, with, orange spiders on the buckles. A matching pair of earrings dangled in her ears. Essentially, she was a pumpkin covered in spiderwebs. Predictably, Ron wouldn't go anywhere near her, though her friends laughed at him for his fear of non-living spiders.

Luna showed up to the foyer of the castle in a similar outfit to Silver's, though hers was in purple and was a bit less exuberant with the amount of cobwebs. Luna, Silver, and Harry all bid Ron, Hermione, and Neville goodbye as they left for Hogsmeade. Harry became glum, and started to walk away towards Gryffindor tower before Silver grabbed his hand.

"Hey, where are you going? I thought we were going to spend the day together. I can show you my favorite parts of the castle," Silver said. When she realized she was still holding his hand, she dropped it with an embarrassed smile.

"No offense, Silver, but I don't really want to explore the castle. I want to go to Hogsmeade."

"And you will, eventually. I want to spend some time with you and Luna. I can show you a few really cool places, if you'll let me."

Harry thought about it for a minute, then replied, "All right then. Lead the way, Spider Princess."

"Hey, if you're going to call me a princess, then the least I can do is make you my squire." Silver pulled out her wand, and before Harry could protest, she summoned some spiderwebs and a top hat. She placed the top hat on his head and arranged the spiderwebs around his body artfully. She then took a couple of the spiders off of both hers and Luna's ensemble and placed them strategically onto his body, a Sticking Charm holding them in place.

"There! Now you are suited to accompany two Spider Princesses on their quest of showing you the haunts of the castle!" Silver proclaimed proudly. Harry laughed at her ridiculousness and followed her down the hallway up the stairs.

As they were heading up a staircase that Harry recognized as the one that they take to get to Transfiguration from Divination, Silver pulled him onto a landing that he hadn't noticed before. Luna was right behind him, and watched the area interestedly. They walked down the landing a bit until they came upon a door. Smiling, Silver pulled it open. Inside was an entire room dedicated to Quidditch. It had pictures of Quidditch stars, an assortment of brooms and balls scattered around the room in cases. When they entered, the pictures all paused and waved at them before resuming what they had been doing before.

Harry stared, his mouth dropping in awe as he stated, "What _is_ this place? How did you find it?"

"It looks like someone's Quidditch collection. It has all of the Quidditch memorabila you could want from the years 1940 til 1970, which means it was either from a family or a group of friends that attended Hogwarts. It could also be from a Professor. My guess is Professor McGonagall. Did you know she used to play while she was here? One of the best damn Chasers this school had ever seen, aside from your father of course."

"Where in the hell do you get your information? I never knew that McGonagall played Quidditch. How did you find this?" Harry was still deep in awe as he wandered the room. He wanted to touch everything, to make sure it was there, but didn't want to disturb the peace of the room.

"I found it while I was exploring our first week back. I had actually stumbled onto the landing after missing a step down. I had been reading while walking again," Silver shrugged as she explained. "As for the information on McGonagall, I got that from some periodicals in the library. No one touches them, which is a shame since they're incredibly useful bits of information." She wandered the room a bit before continuing, "I did do some cleaning up in here, since all of this was completely covered in dust when I discovered it. You're the first ones I've shown, though. I figured you'd appreciate it, as much as you're into Quidditch. Be careful, though. I did a few testing charms on the place, and it looks like whomever left this here didn't want things taken out of the room. You can touch them, though. They're spelled to avoid breakage or stains. Clearly the spell caster didn't think about dust, though."

Harry wandered around the room some more, waving at the people in the pictures, who enthusiastically waved back. They stayed for nearly an hour before Silver gently touched his shoulder.

"Come on, Harry. There's more I want to show you today. You can come back some other time, you know. I think it would be wise that you don't tell too many people about this place, though. It's hidden for a reason."

Harry nodded and allowed Silver to lead the way out of the room; Luna closed the door behind them. To all of their surprise, however, the door then faded away. Harry lunged forward, trying to stop it from disappearing, to no avail.

"It's all right Harry. It might show up again in a few days. I know of another room that does something similar. Perhaps certain conditions need to be met." Harry just nodded mutely. He was still a bit shaken from the door suddenly disappearing. Silver then led the way out onto the stairs, where they began climbing once more, onward to a new location.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Harry, Luna, and Silver ascended the stairs in near silence. After a minute of climbing, Silver led the other two onto another landing, which led to a door. The door led into a large corridor, which as Silver led them down it, Harry recognized it as the seventh floor.

Silver stopped in front of the wall next to Barnabas the Barmy, told the two to wait, and then passed them three times. Just as Harry was about to ask what she was doing, a door appeared on the previously blank wall. His eyes popped open slightly in astonishment; Luna was as unfazed as ever.

This door was different than the one that led to the Sullivan Library; it was a deep red, and was inlaid with gold. Silver took no time in opening the door, leading her friends into it.

"Now where are we?" Harry asked, looking around the room. It looked a lot like the Griffindor common room, with many plump red couches and armchairs strewn about around coffee tables.

"This is called the Room of Requirement. It is also known as the Come and Go room to older wizarding families," Silver replied, taking a seat next to the window; it was snowing, though it was clearly a magically produced window, as the countryside was different than that of Hogwarts.

"To access it, you must think of what you want, and then pass the wall three times. If your need is granted, a door will appear. I have summoned no less than seven different rooms in this manner. There is a lot of testing that still needs to be done on it, however."

"Why'd you think of this room? It looks like the Gryffindor common room," Harry remarked.

"Does it? Huh. I just was thinking of a place that would be comfortable to all of us." Silver then spotted Luna perusing the bookshelves in the corner of the room and smiled.

"Well Luna is comfortable pretty much anywhere, as long as she can find something of interest. Isn't that right, Luna?"

"Yes. There are wonderful books here that hold stories and folklore of the olden days. Father always taught me that the creatures that reside in them are real, as long as you believe," Luna replied wistfully.

"Why'd you want somewhere comfortable? I would have thought you'd want something more exciting to show us," Harry rebuked.

"Well the Quidditch Room was pretty exciting, at least for you. Besides, I wanted to give you the chance to learn something new about your parents."

"My parents? What do you mean?"

"Take a look around; what do you see?"

Harry started wandering the room a bit more, noticing odds and ends that didn't collectively make sense; an empty potion vial, an old Quidditch jersey, a Beater's bat, a knitted sweater, and several empty picture frames.

"I don't understand," he said at last.

"Look here," Silver said, collecting each of the assortment of items. "The potion vial has the name 'Evans' inscribed on it and the jersey has the name 'Potter' on it. Those are your parents. Lily Evans and James Potter. Either they were in this room together, or the Room collected lost things and gathered them here for you."

"What about the rest of these things, though? They're not obviously my parents'," Harry countered.

Luna wandered over and looked at the remaining items. "See? The Beaters' bat has a pawprint etched into the handle, with the name 'Padfoot' underneath it. I've seen a sweater like this one before," Luna trailed off, in thought.

"Doesn't the way it's knitted remind you of Professor Lupin's cardigans?" Silver asked, grabbing the picture frames and examining them.

"Maybe..." Harry said, doubtfully. "Wouldn't that mean that Professor Lupin was in here with my parents? Or that the Room associated him with them?"

Silver nodded absentmindedly, tapping her wand against the picture frames and muttering incoherent spells.

"Aha!" Silver exclaimed cheerfully.

"What is it?" Harry asked, coming up next to her.

"I got the pictures to be returned to their frames," Silver replied happily.

"How'd you do that?" Harry asked curiously.

"Simple restorative charm. There were bits of the photos still in the frames; whoever removed them left the corners. Perhaps it was a tight fit or they were in a hurry."

Silver held the pictures out for all of them to see. There were three pictures total; the one on the far right was only half of an image. When Harry quirked an eyebrow at the picture, Silver commented, "It appears there wasn't enough of the original image for that one to be fully restored. Or the other half had been destroyed at some point.

The first picture showed a group of four boys, around Harry's current age, smiling and laughing. The one on the left was on the plump side, with a nervous face. He was clearly happy in the photo, it just appeared that he was easily startled, much like Neville. The boy to the right of the plump one was aristocratic in features and had shoulder length black hair. He held an air of propriety, though it was clear that he didn't care about that, as he was casually giving the plump boy bunny ears with his hand, while his other arm was around the boy on his other side.

The third boy was clearly James Potter; he looked exactly like Harry, except his nose was slightly narrower and he was taller than Harry. There was a look of mischievousness in his eyes as well, which was supported by the fact that he was holding a dungbomb in the hand wrapped around the aristocratic boy's waist.

The last boy appeared to be a tad stiffer in posture than his friends. His robes were clearly second hand, though they were well cared for. He looked like he didn't eat enough, but the smile upon his face lit up his eyes and made his whole face brighter.

All four of the boys were wearing Griffindor uniforms.

"I think the boy on the far right is Professor Lupin," Silver remarked.

"If that's Lupin, then that means he was friends with my dad for sure," Harry replied. "I wonder why he hasn't told me?"

"Perhaps he's ashamed he stayed away for so long? Black's apparent betrayal of your parents would have hit Lupin hard if he believed his best friend turned dark. The Blacks have a history of insanity in their blood; maybe Lupin thought Sirius had succumbed to that."

"Who would the man on the far left be?" Luna asked. "The one on the other side of your dad has to be Sirius, so who would the remaining person be?"

"Perhaps that's Peter Pettigrew, the man Sirius had allegedly killed?" Silver offered.

"Yeah, it makes sense. I still wonder why Pettigrew would have sold my parents out, if Black did not," Harry mused.

"Hmm. Perhaps he was afraid of the Voldemort? Or believed that he would be joining the winning side by being a spy? Voldemort was incredibly powerful and influential from my understanding. Unfortunately, not all Gryffindors are brave on their own. It's possible he had been influenced to switch sides to save his own skin. The only way we'd know for sure is to ask Pettigrew himself, and I don't think we'd be able to find him easily if he's a small, unregistered, animagus."

It was quiet for a few moments, as the trio contemplated what was said. Silver was only pretending to ponder; she was waiting for Harry to come to his own conclusions, though she knew that he could be incredibly thick sometimes. After a few more moments of silence, Silver realized that he wasn't going to come up with any life-changing conclusions at this time. _Oh well. I'll let it fester in his brain for a few days before having him think about it again._

Wordlessly, the trio looked at the second picture. In it was a beautiful long-haired girl, with eyes shaped like Harry's. She was wearing the Gryffindor uniform, and her arm was around a boy wearing a Slytherin uniform. His hair was long, and evidently greasy even in the photograph. He had a hooked nose and slightly beady black eyes. On his face was a brilliant smile; clearly he was sharing a joke with the girl.

Silver could feel Harry's disbelief long before he said anything. "Is that... _Snape?"_ he asked in horror. His hands had started to shake in rage and disbelief; he clearly despised the man if this is how he reacted to an old school photograph of his least favorite teacher.

"It looks like it. It's amazing how happy he was back then," Silver said with a small smile, trying to ignore the sudden tension in the room.

"Happy?" Harry asked in disbelief. Suddenly the shaking of his hands stopped as he let loose a sharp exhale. "You're right. Snape does look happy in this. He and my mum were friends? How could she be friends with such a foul git?"

"People change, Harry. Especially in the midst of war. It looks like they're in third or fourth year, so perhaps they had a falling out as they grew up? I know you want to think that your parents are saints, Harry, but that's not the case for a lot of people. They're human, just like anyone else. Maybe Lily was the best thing that ever happened to Snape, and her death crushed him and made him bitter. Or maybe he was persuaded, much like Pettigrew, that Voldemort's side was the winning side. There are so many things that could have caused the change from this happy child we see in the picture to the sharp tongued man we know as our Professor," Silver explained.

"I think it's a case of unrequited love," Luna offered. "You can see it in his eyes, though at that age, he might not have understood what it meant." Silver nodded in agreement. Harry just stared at the photograph.

The third and final photograph appeared to show James and Lily's wedding day. Black was next to James, and Lupin was next to him. The happy couple was beaming, hands clasped, but Lily's other hand got cut off as she waved off screen. Forever frozen in time, the four of them continued to smile and wave at the camera as flower petals rained down on them all.

Silver wrapped her arms around Harry; Luna joined in a second later when she realized that Harry was crying silent tears. His whole body shook, but the girls held him until it stopped. Silver offered him a tissue when she deemed that he was ready. He took it with a smile, before asking, "If I take this pictures out of the room, they won't disappear on me, will they?"

"They shouldn't, since it was restored with a charm. I will duplicate them just to be on the safe side, though," Silver said, as she took the pictures and waved her wand. The duplication went off without a hitch and Silver suggested that they move on; it was getting close to lunch time, and she wanted to show them one last place for the day.

"I would be able to visit this room whenever I'd like?" Harry asked, as they walked down the hallway towards the main staircases.

"Yes, as long as there isn't someone already in there using it. There's a room I've been visiting a couple times a week since I discovered. Unfortunately, I won't be able to share that one with you because of the privacy wards placed on it. I can't speak any more of it, either, unless I get permission," Silver replied. Harry looked at her curiously but said nothing else.

Once the trio reached the foyer of the castle, Harry automatically started heading towards the Great Hall, believing that was their destination. Silver stopped him with a touch to his shoulder, though, and began a path down the stairs. Harry, however, got pulled into a broom closet before he could follow the other two down the steps. Silver noticed right away, but pretended not to until she reached a corridor that was large and bright.

"Has this day been enjoyable to you so far, Luna? I'm sorry that I've been focusing on Harry a bit more than usual," Silver said.

"Oh, yes, it has been quite enjoyable, Silver. I am glad you want me to spend time with your friends as much as you wish to spend time with me. Harry Potter is an interesting person. Where did he wander off to, anyhow?" Luna asked wistfully.

"He got pulled into a broom cupboard by the Weasley twins. He should be down in a bit," Silver replied with a smile.

"Lovely. Have you read any fascinating tales lately?"

"Yes, I did. It was a muggle fairy tale that I used to read as a kid. The Tortoise and the Hare. However, this one was told differently, as the Tortoise could fly and the Hare could seemingly Apparate at will. Clearly it's a wizarding version of the story, though it was a little more difficult to see the moral of the story."

Harry appeared, panting, a moment later. "Sorry about that. Fred and George wanted to give me something."

"Don't worry about it. Follow me, please," Silver said, leading them down the bright corridor.

"Aren't the Hufflepuff's dorms down here?" Harry asked.

"Yup. That's down the hall a bit. If you're ever looking for it, just look for the stack of barrels. You need the correct password to get in, though, otherwise the barrels will squirt you with vinegar," Silver replied, stopping in front of a giant painting of a fruit bowl. Reaching up, she tickled the pear; it giggled and then turned into a giant green door handle. Silver turned it and opened the door.

As the trio stepped into the threshold, they could see a bustling kitchen. There were tables laid out in the same orientation as the Great Hall. Whenever food was placed onto the table, it would vanish, presumably up to matching table in the Great Hall.

A couple of house elves came up to the trio, each wearing the Hogwarts uniform. "Welcome, Miss Silver! How can Melby serve you today?" The other house elf lingered nearbly, awaiting instruction.

"Hello, Melby! These are my friends, Harry and Luna. Would it trouble you at all to bring us some lunch? I'd like us to eat at my normal table down here, if that's ok?"

Melby enthusiastically nodded, "Of course you can, Miss Silver! Make yourself comfortable, we will bring your food in a moment."

With that, Silver led her friends to a table in the corner. It had benches on either side, and was set with a simple table setting. Silver took a seat at the end; Luna sat next to her, and Harry decided to sit across from her. Moments later, Melby and two other elves brought them some food. The three students tucked into their food, after thanking the house elves profusely. As Harry was biting into an apple, he was startled by a familiar squeaky voice calling "Mr. Harry Potter, sir!" He nearly choked, but managed to swallow by the time a young house elf came bounding over to him. The elf squeezed him around the middle before pulling away.

"Dobby?!" Harry asked, astonished.

"Yes, Mister Harry Potter," Dobby the house elf exclaimed happily.

"Oh, so this is Dobby. Hello, Dobby. My name's Silver," Silver offered her hand to Dobby, who looked at it for a moment in absolute glee before shaking it in both of his. "It's an honor to meet you," Silver continued. Dobby looked thoroughly embarrassed before spouting praise to her. Silver raised her hand, which caused the elf to stop mid-praise.

"Please Dobby, do not discredit yourself. You helped Harry last year, even if it was as indirect of a way as you could manage while under orders. It is difficult to work around direct orders, so you deserve my respect." Silver nodded to him once more before continuing to eat. Luna introduced herself to Dobby as well, complimenting him on his socks, which were mismatched.

"How come you're working here, Dobby? I thought you wanted to be a free elf," Harry asked.

"Oh, yes, Harry Potter. Dobby is free! Headmaster Dumbledore offered Dobby a job when Dobby had trouble finding employment."

"What are you getting paid, if I may ask?" Silver asked curiously.

"One galleon a week, and one day off a week," Dobby replied, seriously. Silver noticed that the other house-elves seemed to be eyeing Dobby with distaste before she replied, "I am glad that you're happy, Dobby. It will take a long time before house-elves realize that they shouldn't have to work for free, even if they do enjoy it. They deserve the same rights as wizard kind, in my opinion."

"Yes, but since they have been serving wizard-kind for centuries, it will take a long while for them to accept that they are deserving of those rights," Luna commented.

"Doesn't mean they shouldn't have those rights." Silver was purposely making their conversation loud enough that the other elves could hear if they wish. However, she didn't push the issue, knowing that if she tried to force their opinion, it would backlash on her.

"How did Dumbledore know you needed employment?" Harry asked.

"He told me that someone had informed him of my willingness to work, and that I came highly recommended," Dobby replied with a beaming smile. Silver smiled at his statement.

"Dobby must get back to work. Would it be all right if Dobby were to visit Harry Potter sometimes?" Dobby asked.

"Yes, of course." Harry replied. "Though maybe not when there's a lot of people around. I wouldn't want you to startle them."

"You're more than welcome to visit me, too, Dobby," Silver added. Dobby nodded happily before rushing off to return to work.

The three students finished their lunch, chattering about nothing in particular, until Silver led them back to the foyer once more. The house-elves had insisted that Silver take some food with her for later, since she was always so kind to them and knew she forgot to eat during her late night study sessions. Luna decided to go to the library to work on some homework, leaving Harry and Silver alone.

"So," Silver said, "Do you think we still have enough time to go scare Ron and Hermione in Hogsmeade? We can take your cloak and pelt them with snowballs." Harry looked at her for a moment, before he burst out laughing.

"How in the world do you always know what I'm going to do next?"

"Magic. Come on, are you in or not?"

"Yeah, I'm in. Let's go grab my cloak," Harry replied with a broad grin as he started running up the stairs. Silver followed, a broad grin also appearing on her face.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

Silver and Harry both ran up to the Gryffindor common room. Silver followed Harry up to his dorms, despite the protest of the Fat Lady. She was out of uniform, so no one other than her noticed that she wasn't a Gryffindor. As they passed through the common room, Silver noted that the Room of Requirement had indeed made an almost duplicate version of it. Harry led the way up; he was so determined to fetch the cloak (that he later realized that Silver shouldn't know about), that he made absolutely no protest when she wandered into the room behind him.

He went directly to his bed and opened the trunk. As he pulled the cloak out from the bottom of the trunk, there was a dull thunk as something else fell out. Silver picked it up, and discovered a pocket Sneakscope inside a large beige sock. It resembled a top without a pointy bottom.

"Harry, where'd you get this? I've never seen one in person, though I hear they're a handy tool to have," Silver remarked.

"Birthday present from Ron. He got in Egypt. He said it's possibly broken since it lit up while he was tying the package to Errol, though he wasn't supposed to be using it so it might not." Harry quickly stuffed the Sneakscope back into the sock and was about to toss it back into the trunk when Silver stopped him.

"Could I borrow it for a bit?" Harry nodded and tossed the sock back to her instead. Silver caught it and stuffed it into her robes. The bag of food she was still carrying dangled on her hip.

"You might want to grab an extra cloak or sweater. It'll be cold outside," Silver called just as Harry was about to leave the room. Harry smiled in appreciation before grabbing his gloves, hat, and sweater. He also tossed her an extra sweater that Mrs. Weasley had given him last year. She took it, before leading the way back down through the portrait hole.

"So how are we getting there? Secret passage?" Silver asked in a hushed tone as they hurried down the stairs. They were both trying to look casual, with the amount of things they were carrying, but it was difficult. Silver stashed her hat into the bag of food before they came to a stop next to a one eyed witch statue. Harry pulled out an old piece of parchment, pointed his wand at it, and said, "I solmnly swear I am up to no good." The effect was immediate; from the center of the parchment lines began to spider out, until it formed a concrete map. There were little dots of footprints with names hovering above it. They were moving in relation to where they were in real life. Silver stared at the map in awe for a moment, before checking her watch; it was just a bit past noon. They were making good time, but they would have to get to Hogsemeade quickly if they wanted to be back before dinner.

Harry was busy trying to locate their dots on the map. Silver pulled the invisibility cloak over him as he did so; she had heard someone approaching. She dropped her bag and pulled a small book from the depths of her robes. She motioned for Harry to be quiet, before she sat down on the ground and pretended to read. Her back was against the wall next to the witch, so the person approaching didn't see her right away. When the click of the person's shoes reached her, they stopped. She saw a pair of black polished shoes; they were obviously well kept. She could tell based on how the person's robes were flared around their legs that it was Professor Snape. However, she continued pretending to read until he said in his usual sneer, "This is quite a strange place to read, isn't it Miss Sullivan?"

Silver looked up, after marking her place, to reply, "Perhaps, sir, but the wall has excellent back support, and the statue hides me from view from one direction, so I'm able to get more privacy. I do wish I had cast a Cusioning Charm on the floor, though. Are you having a pleasant day, sir?" She smiled genuinely at him, thinking of the boy he used to be. Professor Snape, long since used to her strange kindness towards him despite his intentions to intimidate her, merely nodded before saying, "I am merely doing patrols on the behalf of Filch. He seems to think that someone will attempt to sneak to Hogsmeade, as he always does. I know that Potter was not granted access to Hogsmeade, same as you. Insolent boy would probably attempt to sneak out, wouldn't you think?"

Silver blinked slightly at his question, as she wasn't expecting it. Then, "Possibly, although he and I had an early lunch together in the kitchens. We parted ways when he wanted to get some sleep before the feast. I came here, and haven't seen him since. If he were to try to sneak into Hogsmeade, wouldn't doing it as early as possible be beneficial?"

Professor Snape eyed her critically, before inclining his head. He left without another word, heels clacking as he turned the corner. Shortly after, Silver heard a thunk come from the statue and Harry appeared from outside his cloak.

"Come on, the passage is up here. We'll have to slide down her back," Harry instructed. Silver nodded, grabbing the bag of food before leading the way down the slide into the tunnel. She lit her wand; Harry come down a second later and they were plunged in semi darkness. Harry lit his wand as well, as they hurried down the tunnel.

"I wonder where in Hogsmeade this leads," Harry whispered. The confines of the tunnel made any other volume seem loud and strange.

"Not sure, but we should be careful. We don't want to alert anyone to our presence before we get there." Silver's wand light flickered as she threw the sweater Harry grabbed for her over her robes She was sure she looked ridiculous, but as long as she was semi-warm, she didn't care.

Soon enough, the two of them reached the end of the tunnel. There was a small step ladder leading to a trap door. Silver went first and checked above it, before motioning to Harry to follow. Once they got into the room, Silver closed the trap door once more with a soft thunk. Looking around, she determined they were in a sweet shop's store room- Honeyduke's. Silver held the cloak aloft while Harry pulled on his warm weather gear, before throwing it over them both. Together, they left the store room into the main shop. They looked around a bit before Silver motioned to Harry that they had to get a move on. Harry looked sad, but nodded. They left the shop just as a couple of older students were coming in.

The street was nearly empty, despite it being a Saturday. Soon enough, Silver figured out why, when she saw a Dementor hovering on the outskirts of the town. She shuddered involuntarily, before guiding Harry down the road. She looked at her watch again; it was just past two, so they had a little less than two hours before they had to return to Hogwarts if they didn't want to be caught. Silver caught the trail of conversation of one Draco Malfoy as they passed him.

"Potter would be scared out of his wits if he were here. 'Oh, the Dementors are so frightening, I'm going to faint.' I bet he would find the Shrieking Shack frightening, despite the fact that there hasn't been any sound from it for the past fourteen years." He began to laugh, while his friends joined in halfheartedly. It was clear that the Dementors were affecting them slightly. Draco seemed to notice this and moved on, with only Crabbe and Goyle in attendance. On gut instinct, Silver followed him. Harry had little choice but to stay with her, as they were both covered in the cloak.

Sure enough, when Draco called out "Oi, Weasleby! Where's the third member of your pathetic squad? Oh right, he's back at the castle, most likely snogging Sullivan. I heard she had plans for them."

The effect was immediate. Silver spelled a couple of snowballs to form, then used another spell to throw them at his head. Soon enough, he had snowballs coming from several directions; they were hitting Crabbe and Goyle too. Shrieking, he backtracked up the path towards the main street. Crabbe and Goyle followed, blocking their heads with their hands and arms. Silver made sure that the cloak was around both her and Harry the whole time, as Harry had joined in with the throwing of the snowballs and was getting careless.

Once the three Slytherins had fully departed, Hermione said, "That was hilarious, Silver, but you're going to get into trouble if you stay her for too much longer! You too Harry."

"How'd you two get past Filch and the Dementors, anyways?" Ron asked, as Silver pulled the cloak off of them just a tad so that their friends could see their faces, but not so anyone behind them would see their bodies.

"Harry found a passageway, courtesy of the twins," Silver replied, just as Harry was about to tell them about the map.

"What's in the bag?" Hermione asked, gesturing to Silver's hip.

"Some food that I got from the kitchens. We had lunch there, instead of the Great Hall, so that we could all eat together. I didn't have time to place it back into my dorms before we headed here." As she said this, she spotted a big black dog just past the Shrieking Shack. It was hiding in the shadows of the building, but she knew who it was.

Silver then spotted the upper pocket of Ron's shirt wiggle, and Scabbers poked his head out, smelling the air. She narrowed her eyes slightly, before she saw a flash of a vision of Black slashing across the Fat Lady with a knife. She then saw Ron screaming, and then all of the students in cots in the Great Hall.

She gasped slightly; the visions happened quickly, so she wasn't able to process them right away. As she thought about it more, though, the clearer they became. Then, she heard the whistling of the Sneakscope in her robes. She didn't take it out, since no one else seemed to notice the sound except her and the rat. She stared at Scabbers for nearly a minute; her friends had continued conversing while she was distracted.

"Ron, may I ask why you brought Scabbers with you? If he's not feeling well, shouldn't he stay away from the cold?" Silver asked, when there was a pause in conversation.

"I know that, but Crookshanks was in the common room when I left, and I didn't want that ruddy cat to attack him while I was gone," Ron replied.

"Can I see him? I'm by no means an animal expert, but maybe I can get him to eat something?"

"All right...just be careful. He's been squirming a lot in my hold lately, so you've got to make sure he's held tight." Ron handed the rat to Silver, looking at her anxiously. Silver held him tight in her left hand; with her right hand, she grabbed a small piece of cheese. She attempted to feed the rat, but he kept squirming whenever she'd place it by his mouth. Suddenly, there was a bang from behind them, followed by a shout from Draco. Clearly, he had come back seeking revenge for the impromptu snow throwing. Silver darted out from the cloak, with Scabbers still in her hand. Harry immediately covered himself in it and backed away from his friends slightly. He didn't want them to accidentally run into him while Draco confronted them again.

Silver was gone from the scene in an instant; no one had noticed she had left, except for Harry. Draco was verbally cursing them out, and kept insulting everyone. As his voice faded slightly, she ran straight into Sirius, in dog form. The rat started squealing madly, and attempted to bite her on the hand; she ignored the pain, however, and stunned the rat. Sirius was staring at her, waiting for her to hand him over to him. However, she instead handed him the bag of food, removing her hat from it.

"Professor Lupin needs to understand, if you ever expect to be friends again. I'll hold onto Pettigrew. Meet me on the seventh floor, by the tapestry of Barnaby the Barmy, in three days' time at ten o'clock. Do not sneak in tonight, please, Black. You asked me to help you; this is me helping. Do you have any problems with the time frame?"

Sirius shifted quickly before speaking in his raspy voice: "Not three days. If you want Remus to understand, it'll have to be in at least a week. He should be fully recovered by then. How are you going to contain Pettigrew?"

"I'll have him controlled. I want to talk to him, too, though I will wait a bit until Harry sees him. I want him to understand as well. You should shift back now; there's Dementors everywhere around here."

Sirius complied immediately. Silver heard the voices of her friends coming into the forest. She told Sirius with a bit of urgency in her voice, "I will send my owl if anything changes. He's a Great Horned owl by the name of Hermes. Go, take the food. Stay safe."

Sirius complied, taking the bag in his jaw and running off. Silver tucked the rat into her robes; she was careful to make sure he was still stunned, and placed a weak petrifying charm on him as well, before sealing and reinforcing the pocket. Moments later, Harry had appeared next to her. He threw the cloak over her and dragged her back to the path.

The two of them said hasty good-byes to Hermione and Ron. Apparently, Harry had been seen by Draco and they needed to hurry back to Hogwarts. The two of them rushed back to the castle, using the same passageway as they had before. Silver grabbed the Invisibility Cloak from Harry as he was climbing out of the statue. She reminded him to remove his outerwear. He chucked it at her as he sprinted down the hallway. His goal was to get to the foyer before Draco returned. He was successfully able to do so, with enough time to catch his breath. He spotted Luna approaching coming down the stairs and approached her.

"If anyone asks, I was with you all day today. Please," Harry pleaded.

"Of course, Harry Potter. We had a lot of fun today, didn't we?" Luna replied with a wistful smile. A minute later, Professor Snape had appeared with a deep scowl on his face. Draco was by his side.

"Potter!" Professor Snape snarled.

"Yes, Professor?" Harry asked.

"Why did Mr. Malfoy see your head in Hogsemeade, when no part of you is allowed there?"

"I'm not sure, Professor. I've been with Luna and Silver most of the day. I just came down from taking a much needed nap. Maybe Malfoy needs to get his eyes checked?" Harry replied innocently.

Snape glared at Harry for a moment, before dragging Draco away roughly. Their argument could be heard from down the hall.

Silver came down the stairs a few minutes later, just as Ron, Hermione and Neville were returning from Hogsmeade. Apparently they had all found each other. She smiled when she saw Harry and Luna together; she knew that Luna would be able to cover for him admirably since she had no knowledge of her friends' spontaneous trip to the village.

"Silver, have you seen Scabbers? The last I saw of him, he was with you," Ron asked, after the rest of their friends had gone into the Hall for dinner.

"I'm sorry, Ron. During all the commotion of Draco showing up again, Scabbers spotted an animal of some sort and bit me hard on the hand. I went to chase after him, which is why I left the Cloak without Harry. I managed to chase him a little ways into the forest, but he was fast despite his sickness and got away." Silver showed him her bandaged hand, which was clearly still bleeding, as evidence of her story. Ron reacted badly; he got really red in the face, and was about to yell at her. However, when Silver flinched visibly and backed away, he felt the anger ebb away from him slowly. He took a deep, steadying breath before reaching out to her hesitantly. Silver watched him with guarded eyes, before stepping forward and hugging him.

He returned the hug for a few moments, then pulled away. His hands were still shaking a bit when he said, "Sorry if I scared you. Scabbers is really important to me. He was an animal of my own, you know? I appreciate you trying to find him after he bit you."

"Yeah. I'm really sorry I lost him. Maybe he'll return someday?" Silver said, with a touch of hope in her voice.

"With how ill he was? It's not likely. I'm going to miss him," Ron replied. "Let's go get some dinner, yeah? I'm starving."

Silver nodded before following him into the Hall. She split off to her own table, a slight frown on her face. _I haven't reacted that way to anger in years. I wonder what triggered it._ As she sat down, she shrugged off her melancholy mood and enjoyed the festivities of the Halloween feast.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

After breakfast on Sunday, Silver was no where to be seen for the rest of the day. Ron, uncharacteristically, was the one the most worried about her. He was afraid that her absence was because of his behavior the previous night. However, no one else seemed to be worried about her disappearance. In fact, when Ron voiced his concern, Hermione voiced her opinion on the matter: "It's hardly fair of us to expect her to be with us or near us every day. Perhaps she needed some alone time or wants to do her homework in peace. Or maybe she's hanging out with her Slytherin friends today, since she spent the day with Harry and Luna yesterday. I wouldn't worry, Ron. We'll see her tomorrow."

Ron just nodded and continued working on his Herbology essay quietly. Harry was distracted for another reason other than Silver's absence. He was thinking about approaching Professor Lupin to ask him about his relationship with Harry's parents. Making a decision, he stood up abruptly, startling Neville into dropping the book he was reading with a loud thunk. After a feirce glare from Madam Pince, the librarian, Harry apologized to Neville before leaving the library. He then headed towards the Defense classroom, where he knew the chambers of its Professor lay.

When Harry arrived at Professor Lupin's chambers, he hesitated for just a moment before knocking. He was bid to enter by the tired voice of his Professor. As Harry stepped into the office, he was struck by how differently the office was decorated. The previous occupant, Gildroy Lockhart, was incredibly self-centered and vain. His office had been decorated with several paintings of himself, as well as a multitude of hair-care and skin-care products.

Professor Lupin, in contrast, decorated his office sparsely. There were little personal effects scattered around the room, and the room was neat and organized. When Harry looked to his left, he saw that his Professor's chambers were similarly decorated. To his right, against the wall, was a giant tank. Inside was a small creature with long fingers, sharp looking horns, and pointy teeth. It was a pale, sickly green. Professor Lupin was sitting behind his desk, grading papers.

When he looked up after finishing a marking, he was surprised to see Harry standing there. Harry registered his surprise, before greeting the Professor, slightly awkardly.

"Hello, Harry. I wasn't expecting you. Please don't mind the Grindylow in the corner. It's for our next lesson. Take a seat, if you'd like." Harry sat in the only chair of the office; he felt a bit stiff, and clearly Lupin was picking up on that, for he came around the desk and leaned on it.

"What can I do for you?" Lupin had a relaxed smile on his face. Harry hesitated, for he wasn't sure how to explain what he knew.

"Are you wondering why I didn't have you face the boggart in our first lesson?" Lupin guessed.

"Well, yeah. I was wondering that. Did you think I couldn't do it?" Harry rebuked.

"No, Harry. That's not why. I had assumed it would take the form of Lord Voldemort."

"I did think of Voldemort at first, but then I thought of the train and how the Dementors affect me..."

"Ah, yes. It's a rare thing indeed, to be afraid of fear itself. Dementors have a way of making even the biggest man feel as small as a mouse." Harry nodded slightly in agreement. It was silent for a couple moments.

"Were you friends with my parents?" He blurted. Lupin sighed.

"Yes, I was. James was like a brother to me, and when he married Lily, she became a sister. Their deaths...broke me."

"If you were so close to them, why wasn't I placed into your care instead of my Aunt and Uncle?"

"I wasn't in a position to care for a child. Life was harder, back then. It was difficult to trust anyone. I didn't believe it, at first. I had been far away at the time. By the time I got the message that your parents were dead, it was far too late."

"Is it true you were also friends with Sirius Black?" Harry asked, quietly. Lupin looked at him curiously for a moment before replying.

"Yes. May I ask how you knew that?"

"Silver might've figured it out..." Harry mumbled. "I also found this." He pulled out the wedding picture from his bag. Lupin took it from him, before he smiled sadly.

"Ah, James and Lily's wedding. One of the last times all of us were together without the full strain of war upon us. Sirius was nearly happier than James was, on this day. He began going mad not long after this."

"What happened?" Harry asked, curiously.

"He become increasingly paranoid. Any time I saw him, or he visited your parents, he would think he were being followed. He bought every totem he could find, despite knowing that real totems are as rare as a diamond in coal. By the time I left on a mission for Dumbledore, he was spouting conspiracy theories that his family would find and kill them all. James still made him Secret Keeper, though. Despite Sirius's madness, he was still incredibly trustworthy. Wouldn't go down without a fight, or at least, that's what I thought. Until he betrayed your parents and killed our other friend, Peter."

"Pettigrew?" Harry furrowed his brows. Lupin nodded.

"You're not treating me like a child. Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you deserve to know. You already knew that I was friends with your parents and Black. You should know the story behind it." It was quiet for a few moments. Lupin started to make tea during the silence. Harry was debating on whether to disclose the theories he and Silver had discussed earlier in the year or not.

"Why would Black kill Pettigrew? If he was as loyal to my parents as you said, why would he betray them?"

"I don't know. I still think it was the madness that drove Black to do what he did. Finally succumbing to the Black madness, as he always feared."

"If he feared succumbing to the madness, wouldn't that give him reason to fight it? He was in Gryffindor, after all."

"I thought he would fight, but he didn't. He killed Peter and those Muggles and _laughed about it_ , Harry." Lupin shook his head in sorrow.

"They never found Pettigrew's body, did they? Just his finger?" Lupin nodded, curious where Harry's thought process was going.

"Silver told me to pay attention to the animagi lesson from a couple weeks ago. I did, and the more I thought about it the more it makes sense. What if Pettigrew cut his own finger off before transforming into an animal and running away? And he's been in hiding all of these years."

Lupin was shaking his head before Harry finished. "Why are you trying to justify the death of someone you don't know, Harry? Sirius killed him. Sirius betrayed your parents; he's the reason they're dead. There were witnesses."

Harry looked at Lupin in slight disbelief; he thought his Professor would at least give his ideas a chance. As he looked at Professor Lupin, he noticed for the first time since entering how _tired_ Lupin looked. As if he were tired of fighting, of having hope that something better was going to happen to him. It was quiet for a few moments, before Harry spoke again.

"Would you teach me how to fight a Dementor? I want to be able to defend myself from them."

Lupin looked at him for a few moments, in thought, before nodding. "It'll have to be after the holidays, though. I'll need time to prepare."

"All right," Harry conceded. "I better go. Thank you for the conversation, Professor."

He left shortly after, leaving a slightly confused man in his wake.

Silver's disappearance for the day wasn't noticed only by her Gryffindor friends. Her housemates had also noticed her absence, though Draco was the only one to vocalize it.

"I wonder where Sullivan wandered off to. It's been awfully dull without her annoying presence."

"Oh, please, Draco. She's the only one who challenges you, other than Potter, and he's not intelligent enough to keep up with your wit," Pansy remarked. "Who needs her, though? You're much better than her, Dracy-poo," she simpered, sidling up to him comfortably. Draco smirked, before returning her embrace. However, he made sure it was short lived. Pansy pouted, but moved over when he pulled away. Blaise Zabini was snickering in a corner, and Crabbe and Goyle were attempting to do their homework.

"You may as well eat, Pettigrew," Silver said to the man in magically enforced cage. She had a spell placed on the shackles around his ankles that prevented him from transforming; it was incredibly advanced magic, which caused Pettigrew to gape at her in awe when he saw it. Full grown wizards have difficulty enacting that spell, yet a thirteen year old girl was able to perform it with ease.

Pettigrew had the appearance of a plump man who lost weight too quickly. His hair was balding, and what hair he had grew unevenly, making his face seem even more sallow. The long time spent as a rat had given him a twitchy nose and a few rodent-like quirks, such as sniffing the air periodically and watery eyes. There was a chair in his cage, which he was currently sitting in. At the foot of his enclosure was a tray of food. It contained a roll of bread, some brothy soup, a hunk of cheese, and a cup of tea.

Silver hadn't wanted him to overeat, since it had been so long since he last ate a proper meal. However, Pettigrew wasn't making a move towards the food, despite his obvious hunger. He kept glancing from Silver to the food and back, his eyes filled with fear and nervousness.

"Relax. It's not poisoned or anything. I picked it up from the kitchens on my way up here." She could see that he didn't believe her. Sighing, she continued.

"If I wanted to kill you, Mr. Pettigrew, I would have handed you to Sirius when you first tried to escape me. Which hurt like hell, by the way. You have some sharp teeth." When Pettigrew still didn't go towards the food, Silver sighed and crossed the room to where the tray lay. Reaching through the bars, she picked up the bread, broke off a small piece, and popped it into her mouth. She then picked up the spoon and took a mouthful of the soup, which was now lukewarm. She asked the Room for another spoon, which appeared next to her. She replaced the spoon that was on the tray with the new one. She then broke of a small piece of the cheese and ate it, and sipped a bit of the tea.

Satisfied, she crossed back over to her armchair across from Pettigrew. When nothing happened after a couple of minutes, Pettigrew finally took a hesitant bite of the cheese. It was one of his favorites, so he had to resist the urge to gorge on it too quickly. Under the watchful eye of Silver, he ate slowly but steadily. He was unable to finish everything, though, and sat back into his chair afterwards. Silver summoned the tray from where she sat and placed it onto the table next to her.

Pettigrew finally spoke after several more minutes of silence.

"Why did you feed me?"

"Because I need you alive. I'm amazed that you've managed to get enough food to survive as a rat, with how skinny you got."

"Are you going to let Sirius kill me?" He asked fearfully.

"No. Sirius paid for your crimes for thirteen years. Even if he deserves the closure, that's not a reason to kill another man."

"What are you going to do with me?"

"For now? I'm going to keep you here. I will visit you once or twice a day, to reinforce the spell on your shackles. I am going to make sure you eat, even if you're afraid for your life."

"Why are you showing me any kindness? If you believe Sirius's story?"

"Why should I be mean? You're already terrified that Sirius is going to shred you limb for limb. You don't need the extra pressure, and quite frankly, I don't desire to hurt you."

"Oh, thank you! You won't regret it, Miss! You are wonderful, fantastic, even!" Silver blinked at his sudden change in demeanor. She smiled wickedly before speaking once more.

"Oh, but I'm not doing this for you, Pettigrew. And singing praises about me is the least likely way to get me into your favor. I despise simpering fanboys, though I suppose you never grew up, spending thirteen years as a rat?" Pettigrew looked like he had been slapped with the sting of her words.

It was quiet for a few minutes. The only sound in the room was the ticking of the clock, and Pettigrew's slight wheeze of a breath. His body was clearly not used to being human again after so long as a rat. However, he was beginning to relax a bit in Silver's presence now that he knew she wouldn't hurt him.

"Why did you become an animagus? And an unregistered one at that?" Silver asked curiously.

"Unregistered was easier. Less laws to worry about, and we were free to roam as we pleased," Pettigrew responded.

"Was James an animagus as well?" At the mention of James, Pettigrew got twitchy again. Silver raised her eyebrow in question. It appeared that any mention of his old friends made him twitchy. It was silent for a few moments. It was clear that Pettigrew was debating on whether to respond or not.

"He was a stag," Pettigrew disclosed at last. Silver's eyes widened slightly at that.

"'Messers Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs,'" Silver quoted. "You four were the Marauders."

Again, Pettigrew got twitchy, though his eyes widened comically at her quoting the Map. Silver thought for a minute, before her eyes widened in realization.

"Lupin is a werewolf? That's what makes the most sense with the information I've discovered. He's afraid of the moon, and his health has been deteriorating the past week. The full moon is on Wednesday, which explains why Sirius didn't want to meet up for a little while. He wanted Lupin completely recovered from the moon before presenting the facts. Is it true that people who are afflicted tend to get more irrational closer to the moon, or is that just a rumor?" Silver asked excitedly.

"You're...not scared?" Pettigrew asked, astonished.

"Why would I be? It's not like Lupin would harm me when he's human. And with the invention of the Wolfsbane potion, he'd keep his mind during the transformation. Oh, that explains why Professor Snape is in a foul mood about Lupin being here. He had been asked to make the potion for Lupin, since it's a pretty finicky one." Silver was now pacing a bit. Pettigrew had noticed that his shackles were getting weaker, and tried to wiggle out of them without Silver noticing.

Without breaking stride, Silver flicked her wand with a mutter and the shackles were reinforced. She was still muttering about the new information she had learned. Pettigrew was watching her, slightly amused despite himself, when a blackboard suddenly appeared in the room, along with different colors of chalk.

Silver drew diagrams of what she learned so far, making connections and adding additional questions to the board. When the clock struck six o'clock, Silver nearly jumped in surprise, she was so invested in her work.

"Hey Pettigrew?"

"Y-yes?"

"If I give you a book to read, will you not destroy it? I'd hate for you to be completely bored out of your mind whenever I'm away."

"I wouldn't destroy it," he promised. Silver then handed him a couple of books from the edges of the room. She also asked the Room to give Pettigrew a bed. The cage resized itself to include the new addition. As an afterthought, Silver also included the necessities for him to relieve himself if need be.

"I'll bring you some fresh clothes tomorrow, along with some more food. It's going to be early when I come, since I'll have to sneak up before class. I hope you sleep well, Pett-" She cut off.

"Do you mind me calling you Pettigrew, or would you prefer Peter or something else? I never did ask you, for which I apologize." Pettigrew gaped at her in surprise for a moment.

"You can call me Peter if you'd like. Though I've gone so long being known as Scabbers, it'll take some time for me to get used to it." Silver nodded before adding an extra layer of protection to the shackles and cage.

"W-what is your name?" he asked, just as she was about to leave.

"It's Silver. Silver Sullivan. Have a good night, Peter. See you tomorrow." She gave him a small smile before departing.

Peter looked after her, perplexed as to how he ended up in this situation.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

As promised, Silver brought Peter a change of clothes and a fresh tray of food before she scampered off to her first class for the day.

When she walked down to Hagrid's hut, she was one of the first to arrive. However, she spotted Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville coming down the ridge. It had rained sometime in the early morning, so the ground was slick with mud. Silver enjoyed watching her friends struggle to keep their footing.

Curiously, she spotted Hermione's bushy hair departing back into the castle even while she watched the front of Hermione arrive at Hagrid's hut. _Hmm she's not being as careful as she should. But if I tell her, she'd probably over-react. I suppose I could mess with her a bit, later._

The rest of the class arrived in short succession, and Hagrid came from inside the forest once more to start the class. Ever since their first lesson, Hagrid had made it a point to not study any particularly exciting creatures. He would have lost his nerve completely, had Silver not marched up to him after one lesson on taking care of Flobberworms and gave him a piece of her mind. The lessons since have been fascinating, though not as exciting as the hippogriffs.

There was a bird perched upon Hagrid's shoulder. It had green and black feathers, and a pointed beak, much like a vulture though smaller. When the class creapt closer to Hagrid, however, it took flight and landed on a tree branch farther away. Hagrid tried calling it back, but it wouldn't budge.

"All right. Who can tell me what the beautiful creature over there is?" Hagrid addressed the class. Silver and Hermione both raised their hands, and surprisingly, Draco did as well. Hagrid pointed to Draco.

"That's an Augurey. They can predict when it will rain."

"Correct. Five points to Slytherin. Now, normally, Augurey's are incredibly shy. I managed to get her to join me for today's class, in exchange for some food o' course. They eat flies, insects and fairies. They thrive in heavy rain like what we had this mornin'. Their nests are made o' thorn and brambles, which makes 'em difficult to track down."

As Hagrid continued his lesson, Silver watched the bird, sketching it in her notebook. She got up silently in order to get a closer look. She stopped about ten feet away from it; she was now a pretty decent distance away from the rest of the class. Silver sat on a nearby log, ignoring the dampness of the wood as she studied the bird's face and neck, watching how it moved. The Augurey watched her for a bit longer, before taking flight. To Silver's surprise and delight, it flew and landed on a twig that was jutting off from the log she was sitting on. Barely daring to move, Silver continued drawing as if the Augurey wasn't right next to her. Then, cautiously, she reached her hand out towards the Augurey, allowing it to draw back or flee if it so wished. Before placing her fingers onto the bird, she maintained eye contact with it.

Silver placed two fingers onto its head, and moved them down to under its neck. The bird allowed Silver to pet her for nearly a minute. Then she ruffled her feathers and took off into the forest, spraying water from the trees onto Silver. Although Silver was now wet, she was grinning from ear to ear as she faced the class again. Everyone was staring at her. Hagrid had a look of pure awe on his face, before he dismissed the class. He gave Silver five points for staying calm and collected when the bird approached.

Silver walked with her Gryffindor friends until they had to separate, which wasn't for long since they had Herbology while Silver had Defense. She waved as she left them, and then jogged to catch up to her housemates.

When she settled next to Draco in Defense, she didn't bother taking her wand out, anticipating what was to come. Sure enough, a minute later, there was a bang as the door from behind them rushed open. Each of the windows in the place were magically shuttered, and the candles spread around the room lit up. Striding past all of the students, Professor Snape pivoted on his heel at the front of the room to face them.

"Turn to page three hundred and ninety four," he commanded.

Most of the students complied without question, though there were a few grumbles. Quietly, Silver rose her hand and waited for him to acknowledge her. Her book was already on the aforementioned page. When the shuffling of papers ceased, Professor Snape sighed quietly before nodding to Silver.

"No disrespect, sir, but Professor Lupin had us set up to study Grindylows this lesson. Werewolves weren't supposed to be studying until second term."

"Professor Lupin is not teaching today, Miss Sullivan, I am. Who can tell me how to identify a werewolf?" It was silent. Silver rose her hand again. Snape was going to ignore her, but ultimately decided to call on her again, expecting more protest to the topic of today's lesson.

"Werewolves' snouts are longer than that of a regular wolf, and stand much taller. Their eyes are almost always gold, though it can vary depending on age and gender on the shade. Werewolves' ears are slimmer, but longer than a regular wolf, and also have a much more defined sense of smell."

"Correct. And how can you tell when someone is a werewolf on a night other than the full moon, Miss Sullivan?"

"You can't tell the difference, because when they are not the wolf, they are human beings. They live their lives being shunned for something that they cannot control." She paused and saw the tightly controlled loathing on her Professor's face before continuing unprompted, "Humans with lycanthropy can only be identified if they themselves inform you of their condition, or if they embrace the wolf outside of the full moon, like the monstrous Fenir Greyback. Greyback is the type of beast that parents use to scare their children." Complete silence filled the room once she finished speaking. Silver looked at Professor Snape, waiting for him to either scold her or ignore her last pronouncement and continue the lesson.

"Do not speak of things you do not understand, Miss Sullivan," Snape finally responded. He then continued the lesson as if nothing had happened, and assigned an essay to be completed by next class.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

Once Defense was over, Silver found herself walking to lunch next to a strangely alone Draco Malfoy. Silver glanced behind her and saw Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy, and Blaise Zabini walking together.

"Something on your mind, Draco?" Silver asked, breaking the silence between them. He glanced at her, confusion flitting across his face. Then he looked around and realized that they were walking alone together. A faint flush graced his cheeks, though he did well to hide it.

"Nothing in particular. It was quite lucky that the Augurey allowed you to touch it. Father wanted to acquire a herd of them for the grounds, but couldn't due to their hesitance towards humans."

"Didn't he get albino peacocks instead, though? Those are quite rare," Silver remarked.

"No, it was in addition to the peacocks. Those are a Malfoy family tradition of sorts, started by my Grandfather, Abraxus." Silver hummed in acknowledgment. Draco raised an eyebrow in question, but didn't comment.

As they approached the Great Hall, Draco blurted, "Would you like to eat lunch elsewhere today?"

Silver blinked in surprise. She could spot her Gryffindor friends already in the Hall. She had been planning on saying a quick hello to them before heading over to the Slytherin table.

"Sure," Silver said, mentally changing her plans for the day. "Did you have a place in mind?"

"Erm," Draco responded awkwardly. "I didn't think you'd say yes."

"Well good thing that I know how to think on my toes, then, huh?" Silver replied, smirking. She turned and waved to her friends, who were watching them curiously, before leading the way to the kitchens. Since Draco hadn't been there before, despite his father telling him that they were in this general area, he was surprised that Silver did know.

Draco looked on as they were greeted by the house-elves, allowing himself to be led to the table in the corner. Silver managed to get them a full spread, despite her insistence that they didn't need that much food. They began to eat in silence. Silver was waiting for Draco to break it; she knew that something was on his mind, despite what he had said earlier.

"Why do you defend werewolves? They're beasts," he said finally.

"They're only beasts during the full moon," Silver replied.

"What about Greyback, then?"

"He is the exception, not the rule. Books on the subject of werewolves are incredibly prejudiced and narrow minded. I would be surprised if half of the things written about them were true."

"Why do you care about them? Do you know one?"

"No, I don't know any werewolves. That doesn't mean I shouldn't care about them. They live in a world that consistently shuns and brand them as a monster, instead of as a human who gets dangerous once a month. They deserve the same rights as anyone else, half-breed or not, creature or not."

It was silent for a few more moments. Silver sensed that he was just stalling, though she was thoroughly confused as to what he wanted to talk about.

"Have you had any more luck with that Transfiguration homework? Last I saw, you were having difficulty getting the tortoise's shell to not be a part of the teapot's design."

"I've been busy with Quidditch, so I haven't had time to practice."

"How is the team looking?"

"Brilliant, as always." Silver leveled him with a look. Draco smirked in response.

"Like any team, we can't achieve perfection just by existing, Sullivan. Flint is working us hard, whenever he can. Wood keeps trying to overbook the pitch, so it's a bit more difficult to practice as much as Flint wants us to. Why are you asking?" He became suspicious, narrowing his eyes at her.

"Oh, relax. I was just making conversation. I wouldn't give my other friends insider secrets on our House's team, even if I did know them." Draco looked at her, still a bit suspicious, before lowering his guard; his face relaxed once more into his natural aristocratic countenance.

"What's on your mind, Draco? You've been avoiding asking or telling me something." Silver was careful to keep her tone casual. She sensed him tensing slightly, before he waved his hand in an attempt to be non-nonchalant.

"I hadn't seen you since breakfast yesterday. Seemed odd for you to be absent, as you typically spend Sundays in the common room. I didn't see you with your Gryffindork friends, either."

"Aw, is someone keeping tabs on me?" Silver asked, playfully. She bumped his shoulder casually, which caused him to flush slightly. Silver noticed this before turning more fully towards him. She looked around, noting that the house-elves were paying absolutely no attention to them.

"Were you worried about me, Draco?" Silver asked quietly. Again, Draco's cheeks flushed a bit. It was easy to see, as he was quite pale in complexion.

"No, why would I be worried about you? We're not that close," he protested.

"Because I've been spending a lot of time with my other friends lately. And there's a criminal on the loose. And because you care about me, at least a little bit."

"I don't care about you that much. You can do whatever you want; I'm not your brother."

"If you didn't care, you wouldn't have asked. And we may not be siblings, but we are related."

"What?" A look of confusion flitted across his face. "How? Sullivan is an American pureblood line."

"Yes, but Selwyn is not. My maternal grandmother, who was a Burke, married Solomon Selwyn. They had my mother, Claudia, and she had me."

"I've never noticed your name on the Malfoy family tree, but I may have missed it."

"I am pretty sure I wouldn't be on there."

"Why not?"

"Because technically, I do not exist as the legal child of Claudia and Jasper Sullivan. There is no record of my birth at St. Mungo's, and there are no parents listed on my official Ministry information. I found that bit out when I was assigned to live with Margie, at the recommendation of the Headmaster."

"If you don't have parents legally, how does the Ministry even have a record of you? And how do you know what your bloodline is?"

"About a month after I was placed in the first foster home, I caused items to levitate and made doors and windows open and shut in order to frighten my foster mom. I didn't want to harm her, just scare her so that she'd stop yelling at us all. The next day, she came to me saying that I was to pack my bag and leave with the man who had come to collect me. I had asked her how the vase was fixed, since it had been broken in my levitation of things. But she had no recollection of the incident, even though it had only happened the day before." Silver paused to take a few bites of her cake and a few sips of her tea. Draco was enraptured by her story; she could see it on his face.

"After we left, the man, whose name was Randy, brought me to a park. Six year old me was incredibly excited about this fact, as I hadn't been to a park before and he allowed me to play for a bit. I was on the swings, just sitting there, when he sat on the swing next to me and began conversing with me:

'Miss Silver, are you aware of what transpired yesterday in the house in which you previously resided in?'

'Uh huh, I had been trying to scare Miss Robinson so she'd stop yelling at us.'

'You were controlling it?'

'Not really, just knew that I wanted to scare her. My magic did the rest.'

'So you know that you have magic?'

'Yeah, Mister Randy. I've been able to do stuff since last year.'

'What's your surname? The record from the foster home just has you listed as 'Silver, age six, found on the porch,' which is far from helpful.'

'Daddy is a Sullivan, Mommy was a Selwyn. Daddy was always proud of that fact.'

'Where are your parents now?'

'Mommy died a couple years ago. Daddy left. Told me I wasn't good enough to be his daughter.'"

Silver paused after relaying the conversation. She had made sure to make the voices different so that Draco could understand that it was two different people talking.

"He told you that you weren't good enough for him?" There was disbelief in Draco's voice.

"Yes. Though really, it's because I had caused the explosion that killed my mother. I also look a lot like she did, so it was hard for him to look at me without seeing her. He expected me to be the perfect pureblood princess, without realizing that I needed to be a kid first. Mother used to tell me that I'd be able to laugh and play until I turned seven; then I would be expected to start propriety lessons. Father disagreed; he wanted me to start them as soon as I was old enough to understand. After her death, he gave up on me, in all senses of the word." Shocked silence permeated the air.

"What happened next?" Draco asked, wanting Silver to continue the story.

"Randy explained that he was from the Ministry of Magic, and that I would continue to be living with Muggles. When I asked why, he told me that there were no Wizarding foster homes and that the Muggle ones would have to suffice until I grew old enough to go to Hogwarts. He did caution me about my powers, though. If I had a severe display of magic, as I had just done, I would be relocated and the Muggles' memories would be modified. Because of that, I moved homes three more times until I was eight. By then, I had gotten a firmer grasp on my magic. I was able to control it, and avoided using it unless I absolutely needed to or I lost control of my emotions. I haven't seen Randy since I moved in with Marie."

"You've been able to _control_ your magic since you were eight?" Draco asked incredulously.

"Yeah. Magic comes easily to me," Silver shrugged.

"What's the most advanced spell you know?" Draco asked curiously.

"That's for me to know, and you to maybe find out," Silver replied, with a wink. Draco pouted; it was a surprisingly endearing expression on his face, if a bit out of place.

"As adorable as that is, I'm not going to tell you. Come on, we've got Transfiguration next. Don't want to be late." Silver grabbed her bag, waving goodbye to the house-elves. Draco followed.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

After dinner, Silver found herself outside of Professor Lupin's office. She had visited Peter after Transfiguration; he was settling in nicely, though only as much as a prisoner could.

As Silver knocked on Professor Lupin's door, she had the ludicrous thought that she was like Little Red Riding Hood bringing treats to her Grandmother. Shaking her head of any harmful thoughts in regards to her Professor, she heard movement behind the door.

"Silver?" Lupin rasped out, as the door opened a crack.

"May I come in, sir? I come bearing gifts." Silver smiled. "Though if you're sick enough to be contagious, maybe it'd be best if I just leave them for you." There was silence for a moment, as Lupin thought about it. Then the door opened enough to allow Silver entrance. Silver placed the basket she was carrying onto his desk, before turning to face him.

"You look like hell, sir," Silver remarked, crossing to the tea kettle and beginning preparations for tea.

Lupin chuckled, before it was broken off with a coughing fit. Silver raised her eyebrows. She hadn't been expecting him to be actually sick, maybe just a bit week with the impending transformation.

"Astute observation, Miss Sullivan. Having a terrible cold isn't exactly a way to keep your good looks."

"I suppose not. Have you taken any medication for that cough? It sounds horrible."

"Can't," he replied shortly, taking a seat in the office chair.

"Oh, no you don't," Silver rebuked, grabbing his arm and yanking him towards the bedchamber. Since she wasn't actually strong enough to pull him any distance, he allowed himself to be pulled. Silver pulled back the covers again, as he had clearly had the sense to place the blanket back over the bed to conserve heat, and ushered him into it. She spotted a steaming cauldron in the corner of the room, quietly simmering.

"Do you need to take that?"

"Hm?" Lupin was already settling into the bed and hadn't noticed her glance.

"The potion in the cauldron. Don't you need to take it?"

"Severus brought it by about a half hour ago. He was supposed to watch me drink it, but didn't want to catch whatever I have and left in a huff during a coughing fit." Silver crossed the room and grabbed the cauldron, making sure that it's temperture remained consistent.

"Please drink it." Lupin had nodded off. Silver smacked the bedframe with one hand. He startled awake.

"You need to drink this before you nod off, again, Lupin." Silver's voice had become a bit forceful.

"Do I have to, Crys? It tastes foul," Lupin asked, grimacing.

"Yes, you have to drink it. Come on, sit up. You can have some tea afterwards, or some water."

Lupin grimaced again as he swallowed the potion, but dutifully drank it all. Silver then handed him a glass of water, which had been sitting next to him on the table. Lupin sighed tiredly when it was gone. Silver felt his forehead, noticing that he was running a fever. She realized he had to be a bit delirious if he were calling her by a different name, so decided to try her luck.

"Will the change help heal you?"

"Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. I've only been sick one other time during a full moon, you know that."

"That's a lot of moons without being sick. Do other potions negate the Wolfsbane? Is that why you haven't taken anything else?"

"Don't think anyone knows how sick I am, just that I have a cold. Even Dumbledore probably doesn't know." Silver summoned the teapot from the fire, and prepared a cup of tea for her Lupin. She cooled it slightly using magic, before handing it to him. However, he was unable to hold the cup. Before it fell, though, Silver reached out and took the cup back from him. In doing so, her hand brushed his, and she saw a flash of the younger version of him smiling up at her.

Silver nearly dropped the cup in surprise before catching herself. She placed the cup onto the nightstand, and put a Stasis Charm onto it. It was another spell that most upper years learn, but she had taught it to herself when Melby was teaching her baking techniques. She then grabbed a towel, wet it with a spell, and placed it onto his head. Lupin had started dozing off once more, but was still conscious.

"I hope you packed some chocolate. I'm going to need it after all of this," he said before falling into a deep sleep. Silver placed another glass of water next to the cup of tea on his nightstand, wrote and placed a note onto the basket of food that she brought, grabbed the cauldron from the potion, and left the bedchamber. She made sure to snuff the candles, but left the one near the restroom at half brightness in case he needed to get up during the night.

On her way down to the dungeons, she stopped by at the Hospital Wing.

"Ah, Miss Sullivan. How may I help you?"

"Could you please check on Professor Lupin in the morning? I am returning from a visit with him, and he was running a pretty nasty fever. He had a cough, as well, though that seemed a bit infrequent. I gave him some water and he was asleep before I left. I just want to make sure he gets the care he needs."

"And the cauldron?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"It was on the desk when I came in, already empty. He had said that Professor Snape dropped it off for him, but hadn't wanted to catch whatever Professor Lupin has."

"Hm. I see. Let me clean it before you return it; germs don't go away just because they're away from the source."

"Of course not," Silver replied, handing her the cauldron. As Madame Pomfrey cleaned the cauldron magically, Silver did the same to herself.

"Good thinking. Right, well, you should be good to go now. Let me know if you start feeling any symptoms. I'd like to nip it in the bud, before whatever this is spreads."

"I'll let you know, Madame Pomfrey. Thank you." Silver left, checking her watch. Noting that she only had a half hour until curfew, she rushed to Professor Snape's classroom. She didn't know where his chambers lay, but the classroom was locked when she reached it. Thinking for a minute, she recalled Draco saying something about Professor Snape's chambers not being far from the Slytherin common room, and thus ventured into the labyrinth of the dungeons. As she approached the common room entrance, she spotted Professor Snape coming down the hall towards her.

"Good evening, Professor Snape," Silver greeted.

"Miss Sullivan. You're out rather late," Professor Snape replied.

"Still within curfew. I wanted to check on Professor Lupin. If he was sick enough to miss class, I figured it must be pretty bad."

"Do you often check on the welfare of your Professors?" Snape cocked an eyebrow scathingly.

"I do if I know they've been sick. Professor Lupin had fallen into a deep sleep by the time I left."

"And the cauldron?"

"I was looking for you, actually. Professor Lupin told me that you brought him the potion, so I wanted to return the cauldron to you. It's clean; I stopped by the Hospital Wing on my way down here."

"Had he taken the potion?"

"Yes, sir. I made sure he took it before I left. I figured it had to be important if you hand delivered it to him, and had a stasis charm placed onto it."

"Indeed," Snape replied, taking the cauldron from Silver. "Good night, Miss Sullivan."

"Good night, Professor." Silver said the password, and the wall before the common room opened up.

"Miss Sullivan?"

"Yes, Professor?"

"Did you know what the potion was?"

"Yes, sir." Silver stepped into the common room; the wall closed shut behind her. She went to bed, pondering all that she had learned during that day.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

"Can you believe that Snape had the nerve to assign us an essay on werewolves? It's not even his class!" Harry was ranting to his friends while they spent time in a spare classroom. The group was comprised of Harry, Ron, Neville, Luna, Silver, and, to Harry's surprise, Ginny. She hadn't spoken a word, though and seemed to be there only because Silver had been with both younger girls when the older Gryffindors appeared. Hermione had run off immediately after lunch; her workload was starting to affect her free time.

"It's not that hard, if you read the material. The only reason I needed to do additional research was to find information that isn't biased. It was difficult, as most of wizard-kind is prejudiced against werewolves," Silver replied.

"You finished it already?" Ron asked, incredulously.

"Of course I have. My class was on Monday, and I like being able to do things on the weekends without being bogged down by homework. Perhaps you should try it sometime." Silver smirked.

"Maybe Professor Snape wants you to figure out something by doing the essay. That'd be a reason to assign an essay on something you wouldn't have covered until next term," Luna remarked, thoughtfully.

"What? You think someone we know could be a werewolf?" Neville asked, fearfully.

"It's definitely possible. As I told Professor Snape, the only way to distinguish a werewolf from the general populace is if they tell you themselves, or if they are outed. You can also figure it out if you pay attention to the lunar schedule. Tonight's the full moon, you know." Seeing Neville's suddenly fearful face, Silver continued, "Werewolves on the Wolfsbane Potion are harmless during the full moon. If there were one here, don't you think Dumbledore would know about it and make the necessary precautions?"

"Do you think that there is one among us?" Harry asked cautiously. Silver was silent. The question hadn't been directed at her, so she was waiting for the others to reply. Then she realized that everyone, besides Luna, were looking at her. _Oh. Maybe that was directed at me._

"How should I know?" Silver asked, faking non-nonchalance.

"You always seem to know things way before anyone else. Figured if anyone would know whether there was a werewolf in the castle, it'd be you," Harry replied with a small smile. Silver looked around at her friends; all she saw upon their faces was curiosity. There wasn't any hostility, but it wasn't her secret to share.

"I wouldn't tell you, even if I did know one way or the other," Silver said after a few moments.

"What? Why not?" Ron protested.

"Because she doesn't share other people's secrets without their permission," Ginny replied quietly. Everyone stared at Ginny for a moment. Silver broke into a wide smile at her words, and gave Ginny an awkward side hug in thanks. Ginny flushed at the attention, though she gave a small smile to Silver in return.

"That's right. The only person's secrets I willingly share are my own. That doesn't mean I won't help someone figure out a secret that I think they should know, though. I just wouldn't tell them directly."

"Hmm ok. Have any secrets to share, Silver?" Harry asked, mischievously. Silver burst out laughing. She hadn't been expecting Harry to ask that. He took her laughter in stride, and smiled in return.

"I've been trying to research my blood family more recently," Silver replied, after her laughter had subsided.

"Really? Why?" Neville asked.

"Because I knew next to nothing about my parents except their names and where they went to school. Well, I knew father was self-centered and mother was kind, if a bit aloof at times. I want to know where I came from."

"You said you're pureblood, right?" Ron asked.

"Yep. Sullivan on my father's side, Sewlyn on my mother's."

"Your mother was a Sewlyn? That line died out, at least by the males. All known Sewlyn children are female, last I checked. Granted, it's been a few years since Mum's tried to have us study the tree, so it may have changed." Ron looked thoughtful.

"It's doubtful it's changed that much in that short amount of time, Ron," Ginny added.

"A lot can happen in a few years. It takes less than a year to birth a child," Luna replied.

"True. Anyways, I've been trying to learn about all aspects of my family that I can," Silver intervened, bringing the conversation back on track before they could stray too far.

"Have you learned anything interesting?" Harry asked.

"I've learned about a few new relatives that I didn't know about, such as my father's brother. Apparently they're twins, but are polar opposites in terms of beliefs and such. Uncle John was blasted off the family tree, officially anyways, when he decided to join the Peace Corps after finishing Healer training."

"What's the Peace Corps?" Ron and Ginny asked together. They scowled at each other when they realized they had spoken at the same time.

"It's an organization that branches out to disadvantaged countries and tries to help them achieve higher standards of living. For example, there are parts of Africa that don't have proper plumbing, which makes disease run rampant. Peace Corp members live among or near these disadvantaged people and try to help fix it." Both Ron and Ginny wore identical masks of horror; Neville just looked sad at the prospect.

"Regardless, Uncle John's decision had clearly not been what his parents wanted for him, so they cut ties with him. I would be surprised if he even knew I existed. Maybe when I'm older, I can try to find out what happened to him." Silver checked her watch; she was due to check in on Peter in about an hour.

"We should probably start heading to our common rooms. You boys have a few assignments due tomorrow, if I recall correctly. I'll walk you up."

"You sure? It's a bit of a trek, and I'd rather you not get caught in the halls after curfew," Harry asked worriedly.

"It'll be fine. Besides, we still have an hour before curfew, so that's plenty of time for me to escort you all and make it back to my own common room on time. You can always keep an eye out if you're that worried." Ginny looked confused at that last statement, but Harry just nodded. He understood that she had meant keep an eye on the Map for her.

Once Silver had accompanied the Gryffindors back to their common room, she then walked up with Luna to the Ravenclaw tower.

"Thank you for walking me up every night we are together, Silver. It is considerate of you," Luna said as they were climbing up the last bit of stairs.

"Of course, Luna. I'm happy to do it, and it means I get to spend more time with you." Silver flushed a bit at this statement, though she wasn't sure why.

"Goodnight, Silver. Sweet dreams." Luna entered the tower after answering the doorknob's riddle.

"Goodnight, Luna," Silver responded quietly. She stood there for a few moments, hoping for...something to happen. But she was at a loss as to what. Finally, Silver descended the stairs and headed towards the Room of Requirement.

As she approached the tapestry, she heard a sudden thudding of paws skittering across the floor. When she turned towards the sound, she saw a flash of black fur before she was toppled over by an incredibly solid weight.

"Padfoot! I asked you not to come for a couple more days; what are you doing here?" Silver asked, once she caught her breath. Padfoot just whined and started pacing back and forth; he was clearly restless. Then, Silver heard why: Filch's wheezing breath and uneven footsteps were fast approaching.

Quickly, Silver pushed past Sirius and paced in front of the wall three times to conjure the room where Peter was held. She opened the door and Padfoot barreled through it. She followed and closed the door, just as Filch turned the corner.

As she focused on the inside of the room, she became aware of Padfoot's low rumble of a growl. His eyes were fixed on Peter, who was standing petrified in the cage. He started to tremble when he realized that Sirius wasn't changing back right away, clearly afraid that the large dog would attack him. He seemingly forgot that he was in a cage, where nothing could get in or out without some serious magic or manpower.

Sighing, Silver reinforced Peter's chains before crossing the room and starting the kettle for tea.

"Are you just going to stand there growling, Sirius? Or are you going to change back so that I can talk to you?" Peter jumped at the sound of her voice; he had been enraptured by Sirius's staredown that he hadn't truly noticed she was there. A moment later, the haggard form of Sirius Black stood where the dog had been. Although he looked haggard, he was much improved than he was when Silver had fed him during the summer. Peter seemed surprised by this; he had expected his old friend to be worse off than he was, since he had come from Azkaban.

"So why are you here, Sirius?"

"I thought it would have been obvious," Sirius responded.

"Found your opportunity to get into the castle and decided to take it while you could?" Silver replied.

Sirius barked out a laugh. "Exactly. See, I knew you were bright."

"Of course I am. I figured out you were an animagus long before you expected me to," Silver replied with a smirk. She took the kettle off of the fire, as it had started whistling, before preparing a tray of tea. She set up four mugs, before placing teabags into the kettle to brew.

"Did you forget how to count?" Sirius asked, perplexed.

"No. Make yourself comfortable, Sirius. You too, Peter. Standing there petrified won't help you get anywhere. Neither of you can hurt the other, as you're both wand less and there's a magic enforced cage between you." Silver then walked over to the door, as both men sat down in the chairs available.

"Come on in, Harry. No need for a wand, neither will harm us," Silver said, after she opened the door.

Sirius turned, surprised, when he spotted none other than his godson standing at the door. In his hand was the Invisibility Cloak and the Map, freshly cleared. Harry cautiously approached the couch, which was next to the armchair in which Sirius was sitting.

"Harry, that's Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew. I'm sure you at least recognize Sirius. Pettigrew, on the other hand, looks next to nothing like he did as a boy," Silver remarked, not unkindly. Harry's expression went from confusion, then to anger, before it settled into a controlled anger. He had questions in his eyes, though, Silver noticed. Wordlessly, she prepared their teas, and levitated them to their intended target. The only exception was Peter's, which she handed to him herself. The cage wouldn't allow any magic through, regardless of intent.

There was a few moments of silence, before Harry broke it.

"Who wants to start explaining what the hell is going on?"


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

Harry was looking around the Room of Requirement, a deep scowl on his face. He glared at Silver the most, though, since he knew that she was a large part of the whole ordeal. Sirius was staring at Harry with slight amusement, but also with a twinge of fear. Peter was still shaking, though the tea seemed to help settle his nerves a bit.

"Harry, do you remember what we talked about this summer?"

"Yeah, but what's that have to do with anything?"

"I'd been trying to worm doubt into your mind that Sirius was guilty of the crimes he committed. It worked, didn't it?" Silver smiled at the dumbstruck look on Harry's face when realization hit.

"You...you've known he was innocent since before we met up? How?"

"Sirius had been looking for you, to make sure you were all right. Er, can I tell him, Sirius?" Silver broke off, suddenly unsure. At Sirius's nod, she continued.

"Sirius is an animagus, in the form of a big black dog. He had been tracking you based on scent, since you smell similar to your dad, evidently. That led him to my yard, where I had the logic puzzle you had given me for my birthday. We got into a scuffle, until I guessed he was an Animagus."

"How did you guess something like that?" Harry asked, doubtfully.

"Sirius doesn't make a convincing dog," Silver replied, cheekily.

"Oi, I make a fantastic dog, thank you very much! Prongs used to tell me that all the time," Sirius rebuked.

"Yeah, but James was blind when it came to you," Peter remarked from the cage. Sirius was at the cage in an instant, snarling as Padfoot. When he attempted to get to Peter, though, he was knocked back with the force of a wall rebounding upon him. Padfoot whined in slight pain, before lunging again.

"Enough!" Silver yelled. She petrified Sirius, before casting a spell to force him back into his human form. When that was done, she levitated him back to his chair and released the petrification. Sirius landed in the chair with a grunt. Harry was watching her with awe; he hadn't ever seen her perform such complex spells. Indeed, the only one who wasn't surprised at her skill was Peter.

"You two are adults. Act like it. Peter, perhaps you shouldn't speak for a bit. I'll let you share your side of the story after I'm done."

"Why in the bloody hell should he get to speak? He's the one who-" Silver silenced Sirius with a wave of her wand. He looked at her murderously, before turning his back on her and staring at the wall. Harry watched this exchange curiously, though his anger was starting to die down after seeing Sirius's reaction to Peter's offhand comment.

"Where was I? Oh right. After I figured out he was an animagus, I helped him feel human again," Silver resumed, taking a sip of her tea.

"Why? He had just escaped from Azkaban. He could have killed you."

"Yeah, he could have. But I had already had my suspicions that he had been wrongly sentenced. I told you those during the summer. And he looked like hell, so I took pity on the man." At this, Sirius turned towards her once more, just to look at her indignantly.

"Oh, I know you don't need anyone's pity. I just meant that I don't like seeing someone treated the way you were. Dementors are one of the worst punishments I've ever known, even for those who deserve it. Besides, I also wanted to hear why you had escaped Azkaban in the first place, as I had already deduced the how." Sirius tried to speak again, but he was still silenced. He started gesticulating wildly; some of them were less than friendly. Silver smiled wickedly at his frustration.

"I'll let you tell the story to Professor Lupin, after he's recovered," Silver said. This seemed to placate Sirius, at least momentarily.

"After a shower and some food, Sirius told me what had really happened in regards to your parents."

"He betrayed them, didn't he? What else is there to know?" Harry bit out.

"Sirius _felt_ as if he had betrayed them, because he had switched the task of Secret Keeper to Pettigrew. Peter was the one who sold your parents out to Voldemort. Remember my theory for how the incident that landed Sirius in Azkaban wouldn't work? Do you remember what happened to Peter?"

Harry's eyes widened in realization; he glanced over at Pettigrew, looking for his hand. He spotted what he was looking for quickly. Peter was missing a pinkie on his left hand. It was quiet for a few minutes, as Harry thought of what to say next.

"Sirius had asked me to help find and capture Peter. As you can see, I did just that. The day in Hogsmeade, Sirius had wanted Peter there and then, but I told him to meet me here on Saturday."

"Why not just hand him over? Let Sirius get his vengeance?"

"Because they were once friends. If you were to turn on me, not that I'm saying that you would, I would at least give you a chance to defend your case. Besides, Peter hadn't been well when I brought him to this room. I wanted him to feel safe, for the time being." Sirius looked like he wanted to yell at Silver once more, perhaps for being an ignorant little child, but he was unable to do so.

"As you already know, Sirius, Peter, and Professor Lupin were all friends with your dad, and eventually your mom. I thought it would be fair for Lupin to understand and learn that Sirius wasn't the one to betray your parents, Peter was. I had also written to Dumbledore, asking if I could speak to him come Saturday, which he has granted. The appointment is at one." At this pronouncement, Peter whimpered fearfully. Silver turned her gaze upon him.

"You're going to pay for your crimes, Peter, one way or another." Her eyes were cold, and Peter flinched. With a wave of her wand, she undid the spell on Sirius so that he could speak again if he wished. Then she crossed to Peter's cage and sat in front of him, facing him. Peter looked down at her, before breaking out into a wicked grin.

"You forgot to redo the spell on the shackles in time," he said. The shackles fell off of his ankles with a clatter. However, when he tried to shift into his rat form, he found that he could not.

"And you forgot that I always plan ahead," Silver rebuked. "Now, you're going to answer a few questions of mine."

"And why would I do that?" Peter was no longer trembling, though Silver could see that it was only because he was plotting ways to escape as they spoke.

"Because if you don't, the cage is going to get smaller and less habitable." There was silence for a few moments; everyone was looking at Silver, wondering what her next move would be. Harry had never seen this vindictive side of Silver; quite frankly, he was a bit terrified of it. He also realized that she was much more cunning than she had let on; he could see why she was a Slytherin.

"Why did you betray the Potters, when they entrusted you with their lives?" Silver began.

"I-I hadn't wanted to. The Dark Lord had always been persuasive. Made me believe his side was the winning one." Silver silenced Sirius again, as she could feel his outburst coming. He made a rude gesture at her in return. "You'll get your turn."

"What did he promise you? What would you have to gain from being his servant?"

"He-he made me feel useful. I could get valuable information for him in my rat form, and he utilized that. In return, he-" Peter cut off, a look of confusion flashing across his face. "If I was useful enough, he wouldn't torture me. He got enjoyment out of other people's pain."

"How did you become a Death Eater in the first place? With the type of friends you had, I'm surprised you had been lured at all."

"A-A woman. I met her at the Leaky Cauldron the summer before our seventh year. She made me feel special, wanted. After Hogwarts was over, I started seeing her more, and she brought me to the Dark Lord's presentations."

"He held presentations? Whatever for?"

"To try to get others to join his cause. The majority of the people there were already his followers, but Maddie got me in, courtesy of her brother. The way the Dark Lord speaks, it's hard to tell that he's talking about pain and death, at least it was at first."

"So Maddie was taking you to these meetings, even though you were ignorant of what they were about at first?"

"Right. Don't give me that look, Sirius. No one knew what the Dark Lord looked like, right? At least not until he started doing the killing himself. He had followers do most of the raids."

"Is it the way he presented that swayed you, or was it because of Maddie?" There was a pause as Peter realized that there was no judgment in Silver's voice, just curiosity. It was such a startling contrast to how she had been earlier that it threw him off guard.

"A bit of both. Maddie made me want to help the cause, which sounded to me like helping wizard-kind elevate in the eyes of society. I knew my friends' stance on the matter, but I myself started to believe that wizards were better than Muggles. Everything comes easier to us, and there's much more that we can do that Muggles cannot or will not do."

"What about muggle-borns wizards, like your friend Lily?" Silver asked, carefully. She could feel stares from both Harry and Sirius at this question.

"I had the greatest respect for Lily. I didn't believe that blood matters for witches and wizards, just as long as they can do magic. I mean, Hermione reminds me of Lily, though she doesn't have Lily's penchant for tact nor her creative insults. I don't think either of them are less of a person because they came from a family of no magic."

"Then you're contradictory. Muggle-borns are essentially Muggles until they learn of our world. Why should Muggles be eradicated if they are still producing magical children, most of whom are capable of greatness? I have no doubt that Voldemort's arguments and abilities to persuade were invalid. But the point still stands; we are all human, magical or not. Why should any one person or group of people be able to decide whether others live or die based on something that those people cannot control?" Peter looked uncomfortable at this, unable to answer her questions. It was quiet for a minute, before Harry spoke.

"When did you start getting scared that you were on the wrong side?"

"After I was Marked. The Dark Lord personally tortured a family of Muggles in front of me, to see how I would handle it. I wet my pants," Peter responded, slightly embarrassed.

"Then why continue serving him?" Harry prompted. "Someone could have helped you, Dumbledore, or your friends."

"Because Peter values his own life more than anything," Silver replied. "Am I right in guessing that you also believed yourself in love with Maddie?" Peter nodded.

"What happened to her?"

"I'm not sure. After I was Marked, I started seeing her less and less. She broke it off officially two months later. Saw her with another bloke a couple of days later. I cried for days. Lost Mum at the same time, so I used that as an excuse to my friends, who didn't know about Maddie."

"Did you lose yourself in the work for Voldemort then? To cover up the pain?"

"I was scared for my life, so yes. I attended Order meetings when I could, since James had been bugging me about it. I'm not as skilled at Occlumency as Severus, so anything I learned at the meetings were always divulged to the Dark Lord. I tried to stop it, at first, but then it became futile. I began seeing myself as more valuable to the Dark Lord than I was to the Order, so I helped him more. Plus, the Dark Lord was getting more powerful, with more followers every day. I thought it was a losing battle to stay with the Order." Silver undid the silencing spell on Sirius so suddenly that his string of curses and yells made everyone jump.

"You're a lying bastard, Pettigrew," Sirius spat out. "Trying to win the favor of both of them? Painting yourself as a martyr? Pathetic. YOU SOLD THEM OUT! YOUR BEST FRIENDS!"

"The best friends who never listened to me in school? Who merely allowed me to tag along and be the butt of their jokes? Oh sure, we all had a good time together. Once school was over, all of you were wrapped up in your own lives to even notice me. Whenever I did visit, the only ones who paid any attention to what I said were Lily and Crystal. And of course once Harry was born, Lily became a mother hen, even more so than James was. Crystal disappeared off the face of the Earth right before Maddie broke up with me, and she was the last person I thought actually cared about me." Sirius looked furious by the time Peter was done speaking.

"You sold out your friends just because they were being shitty friends? How selfish can you get? We all had our own crap to deal with at the time, and not once did you confide in any of us. You started pulling away as soon as your Mum got sick midway through seventh year. Prongs and I, we figured it was just a part of growing up. Crystal's disappearance was hard on us all, you know. She was both Moony's and Lily's best friend. And you were there for none of the backlash that hit." It was silent as the two men stared at each other.

"Who was Crystal?" Harry asked, breaking the silence.

"A friend. As I said, she was Remus's and Lily's best friend. Her disappearance was hardest on the two of them, though I miss her too."

"How did she disappear?" Silver asked, curiously.

"I don't know. One day she was there, the next she was gone. There was no trace of evidence, so the Ministry chalked it up to her leaving voluntarily and not informing us. I'm still a bit bitter about that, if that's the case," Sirius replied. It was quiet once more.

"Can I trust you two not to kill each other for a couple of days?" Silver asked.

"You expect me to stay here, with him?" Sirius asked, disgusted.

"Yes, I do. It's the safest place for you, as no one can gain entry without my permission, and Peter's in an impenetrable cage. If it bothers you that much, you can sleep in that room there." She gestured to a door that had appeared on the wall to the left of her. She crossed to the room to the door, pointed a finger at Sirius in a "just a minute" gesture, before she entered it and closed the door. The males looked at each other, confused, until she came out once more.

"There'll be some food and fresh clothes for you there in a few minutes. I had one of the house-elves get that for me. I'll be checking on you two tomorrow. Come on, Harry, we should go. Do you mind walking me back? I don't fancy getting caught by Filch or Snape this late at night."

"Um, sure. That's quite a trek though."

"We'll work it out. I'm not leaving until you get into that room, though, Sirius. I don't trust you not to do something reckless while I'm gone."

"So, what? You're going to lock me in that little room?" Sirius protested.

"Yeah, I am. There's enough comforts that you should be fine for a couple days. Take a bath, too. You smell like dog," Silver said with a smirk. She then waved her wand, fortifying Peter's cage once more for the night. Once Sirius went into the side room, she locked the door and placed an anti-pick charm onto it. She then turned to Peter.

"Try not to goad him too much, Peter. I don't have that much history with you, so I don't know who were back then. But selling out your friends just to save your own skin is not cool." She affixed him with one last glare before leaving with Harry.

As the door disappeared, Harry stared at the wall for a few moments. Then, he handed offered her both the cloak and the map.

"I don't have as far to go as you do. You can take either one you'd like, just return it when you can."

"Aw, you don't want to walk me?" At this, Harry let out a huge yawn.

"I guess that's a no then. I'll take the Map. I know a few ways down that should get me back without being detected. I'll see you tomorrow." Silver gave him a comforting hug, before smiling and dashing off. Harry ducked under his cloak and made his way to the Fat Lady, who was incredibly annoyed he woke her up to get into the common room. Despite all the questions running through his head, he fell asleep almost immediately.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

The next morning, Silver slept later than usual, so she was unable to stop by the Room before classes. As she ran to Potions, she crashed into Professor Lupin, who had been entering the Great Hall.

"Professor! I'm sorry, I'm running late to Potions. You're looking better, if a bit tired. I'll see you later!" Silver ran down the hallway. Professor Lupin looked at her amused, before noticing that Silver had dropped an old piece of parchment. Eyes widening, he stuffed the Map into his robes and went into the Great Hall for a late breakfast.

Silver made it on time to Potions, but ended up sitting next to Pansy instead of Neville. Pansy worked in near silence next to Silver, which was odd for the raven-haired girl. As Silver added ginger root to her cauldron, she decided to attempt conversation.

"Hey Pansy." Pansy hummed in response; she was focusing on the instructions.

"How are you doing? You seem a bit out of sorts today."

"I'm perfectly fine, thank you." Pansy's voice was indifferent.

"Are you sure? Normally you'd be chattering away during practical lessons."

"I said I'm fine!" Pansy snapped.

"All right, then. Sorry, I was just trying to help. Do you have any big plans for the weekend?"

"No, not this weekend. Daphne wanted to do a house-wide sleepover with the girls, but I told her it was a bad idea."

"Why would that be a bad idea? That sounds interesting to me. At the very least, there could be one among the girls in our year."

"I don't need a reason for it to be a bad idea, it just is. Besides, I doubt you'd even want to come."

Silver nearly dropped her ladle in surprise. Instead, she finished her stirring instruction before replying.

"I'd be invited? You girls never invite me to the sleepovers, despite the fact that we share a dorm."

"Yeah, well you never seemed interested in us, always going off with your Griffindor friends."

"I keep going off with them because they want my company. I've never gotten the impression that you or the others, except Millicent, had wanted to spend time with me. Especially since last year when I got closer to Harry." They continued their potions in silence. Silver was perplexed; had she missed some inadvertent signs that her housemates actually wanted to spend time with her in a friendly way?

"Is that what's bothering you? That I never seem to want to spend time with you, besides on the train?"

"No. There's nothing bothering me, remember? Don't be so self-centered, Sullivan," Pansy said indignantly. They worked in silence for the remainder of the lesson.

"Hey, Daphne! Wait up!" Silver called, running up to her housemate. Daphne was walking with Millicent and Blaise, and turned to Silver expectantly. Silver fidgeted nervously for a moment at Daphne's cool gaze, before steeling her resolve.

"Any chance we could have a girls' night in our dorm on Saturday? It's been awhile since you guys have had one, and I'd like to join, if I can."

"And what makes you think that you would be invited?" Daphne asked.

"Well, I'd need to have access to the dormitory to get to sleep anyways. But I'd like to come if I were officially invited. I've lived with you four for two and a half years, and I still don't know any of you exceptionally well. That's my own fault, and for that I apologize. I'm going to be trying from now on, though, as long as it's welcome." Daphne looked at her for a few moments, before nodding.

"I'll have to check with the other girls, but in my opinion, it should be fine. Millicent?" Millicent nodded, before walking away.

"All right, then. I'll see you later, I've got to run!" Silver said, with a wide smile. She then ran, heading to Divination. She crashed headlong into Hermione, who was similarly running towards the North Tower.

"Hermione! I thought you'd been with the boys all this time. I could have sworn I saw you leave class with them," Silver said, as she helped Hermione up. With a wave of her wand, all of Hermione's books were back into her bag; the seam had ripped when they collided.

"Oh, I was. But I forgot something in the Potions classroom and double-backed," Hermione responded. She began hurrying up the stairs, with Silver by her side.

"How're your classes going?" Silver asked.

"They're fine. Ancient Runes is starting to get challenging, and Muggle Studies isn't as fascinating as I thought it'd be."

"And how is keeping up your schedule with a Time-Turner going?" Hermione stopped dead in the stairwell. Silver almost tripped over her, the stop was so sudden.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure you do. It's why you're running late to class right now, because you hadn't set the time properly when you went back. Don't worry, I doubt anyone else has noticed. You've been pretty careful."

"Not careful enough if you figured it out." Silver tugged on Hermione's hand so that they would start moving again.

"Yeah, well it's me we're talking about. I notice things that most people don't. Pair with me in class today? Since we're both late and all."

"Sure. You won't fake predict anything scary for me, will you?" At this, Silver stopped them again, this time more gently. They were on the landing right before the trap door that lead to the classroom.

"You know that I actually see things, right?" Hermione hesitated, but then nodded.

"Anything that I would predict for you has a higher possibility of coming true, since it's coming from me. My visions are not perfect, and I've seen multiple futures for someone, which is why they're _predictions,_ not fact. I know that you don't much like Divination because a lot of it is guesswork. But this _works_ for me. I'm starting to get a better understanding of _why_ I get the visions, and how I can work to lessen their frequency. That'll take some time, and I don't know if I'd be able to stop them entirely. Trewlany is a fraud, but the subject itself is helping me."

"I'm glad it's working for you. But for most wizard-kind, Divination is an imprecise branch of magic, and the few Seers who actually exist have to resort to the showmanship that Trewlany has in order to 'sell' it. It will never be my favorite subject, and quite frankly, Silver, I think you are the exception to everything."

"How so?"

"Your visions are unlike anything in recorded history, as far as I know. Seers have prophecies or are able to read tea leaves and crystal balls. Or read the stars like the centaurs do. But your visions of the future are concrete. They may only be flashes, or come to you in dreams, but you _see_ and hear them as if you're there, and you can remember everything about it. Every Seer that I've encountered in history has prophecies but do not remember making them. It's as if the 'powers that be' use them as a channel and nothing more. You're special."

"There was another one like me. One of my ancestors. She had visions of people being killed in horrible ways because Muggles believed they were witches. Turns out it had been the Salem Witch trials in America that she had seen, along with similar ones in Europe. Found that in a book on my family's history." Hermione looked thoughtful, before leading Silver up the last flight of stairs and up the ladder into the classroom.

By lunchtime, Silver was ready to see how Sirius and Peter were faring, and thus headed to the Room after collecting some food from the kitchen. Harry was waiting by the tapestry; to Silver's surprise, he was joined by Hermione and Ron. Silver could tell that Hermione had recently made a time jump backwards, since her eyes were bright and rested as opposed to the Hermione of that morning who had been frazzled.

"You're aware of who'll be in there?" Silver asked as she approached.

"No. Harry just led us here and told us to wait." Silver sighed in response to this.

"Do you realize that they'll be tired of explaining it again so soon after yesterday?"

"Who will be tired of explaining what?" A voice came from the corridor next to them, making all but Silver jump. Professor Lupin appeared, the Maurader's Map in hand. All three Gryffindors shuffled anxiously in their Professor's presence. Silver, however, smiled.

"Excellent. You're ahead of schedule, Professor. I didn't expect you to be watching the map for another hour. Saves me from having to petrify a rat." Lupin, Ron, and Hermione all looked confused at that statement. Instead of explaining, Silver drew her wand and paced in front of the wall three times. The door appeared as expected, though Hermione gasped in wonder. Harry sensed that Silver had her wand drawn for a reason, and thus drew his own.

When Silver opened the door, there was a loud bang and clatter as a bookshelf fell down from the left side of the room.

"Stupefy!" Silver cried, as a flash of red light came from her wand. "Immobulus!" This prevented a large black dog from crashing into the new arrivals. Silver leaned down and snatched Pettigrew from the floor, where he was stunned.

"Scabbers! You're alive!" Ron exclaimed, moving forward. Silver, however, ignored the advance and crossed the room to the cage, which was standing open.

"Why in the hell did you let him go, Black?" Silver asked furiously. She placed the rat back into the cage, closed and locked the door, and re-enacted the spells. Peter turned back to human, much to the shock of Hermione, Ron, and Lupin. Silver then waved her wand at Sirius, releasing him from immobility. He crashed to the floor, as he had been mid-leap when she froze him, before shifting back into human. Hermione screamed once she realized who he was. Ron paled.

"Bloody hell, that hurt Sullivan," Sirius complained, grasping his back.

"If you had followed your goddamn orders, I wouldn't have had to do that. He could have escaped! Where would your vengence be then, huh?" Sirius was silent; Lupin had a look of contemplation on his face, before he broke out into a large grin.

"You switched at the last minute, didn't you?" Sirius nodded. Lupin embraced Sirius with much enthusiasm at his old friend's answer.

"Excuse me, I'm still furious at you, Black," Silver spat. "How the bloody hell you managed to pick not one, but two locks spelled with an anti-pick charm in this room-" Silver broke off, her eyes widening in realization.

"You sneaky bastard!" Silver crossed the room and smacked him upside the head, which caused Lupin to laugh uproariously. Being in the presence of his old friend, whom he now knew to be innocent, made him downright cheerful. "Why couldn't you have listened to me? I may be younger than you, but I'm a whole hell of a lot smarter." Silver leveled him with a glare so intense that Sirius actually recoiled. Lupin stopped laughing at that glare, as well, though he had a more thoughtful look in his eyes rather than a frightened one. Silver stared at him for a moment, before turning to Peter.

"Are you hurt, Pettigrew?" His eyes widened in surprise, before he hastily shook his head. "Good. Now, did you attempt to talk to Sirius before he picked the lock?"

"N-no. I was asleep, and didn't hear him until he was already in the cage. I shifted out of habit, and since the cage was open, the anti-shift spell wasn't working. He'd been chasing me for the better part of an hour when you lot walked in." Silver nodded. Her anger was starting to fade away, though she was still thoroughly annoyed.

"Hermione, Ron. I'd like you to meet Peter Pettigrew and Sirius Black," Silver said, turning towards her friends.


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32**

"Wha-? But- you- and huh?" Ron was nearly incoherent with his spluttering, but he finally managed, "Scabbers was an animagus?"

"Yup. Peter here hid among your family. Pretty ingenious, if you think about it. Able to gather intel on the wizarding world while still being fed and comfortable." Silver crossed the room to start a pot of tea.

"Are you sure this is...safe?" Hermione asked hesitantly. "I mean, there's a man in a cage who's supposed to be dead, and another man who was locked up in Azkaban for murdering thirteen Muggles."

Silver was about to speak, when, to everyone's surprise, the fireplace shot up in green flames. Sirius looked around in alarm for someplace to hide; Peter couldn't do much except stare at the fireplace and attempt to make himself smaller. A few seconds later, Albus Dumbledore stepped out into the room. The flames flickered back to their normal orange hue.

"I wasn't aware that the fireplace in this room was hooked up to your office, Headmaster," Silver stated, taking another cup down from the shelf.

"It wasn't until I asked a certain house-elf where the extra food was going," Dumbledore replied, a twinkle in his eye.

"Ah, should have figured asking Melby for help would have alerted you. It's highly suspect when a student asks for new clothes to be delivered somewhere other than their dormitory. Well, since you're here," Silver paused, taking out a piece of paper from her pocket, "I can cancel our meeting for tomorrow. It's quite nice when I don't have to do extra work to get my plans enacted out." She had a mischievous glint in her eye. The room was silent for a moment. Sighing, Silver pushed her friends into chairs and glared at Lupin and Sirius until they too sat down. Dumbledore was already sitting, and was watching the proceedings with interest. There was silence as everyone stared at each other, not knowing where to start. Silver passed out the teacups, walking one over to Peter as usual.

"Sirius," Silver waited for him to look at her before continuing, "I already told you that you could tell Lupin this time around, so I would advise you get started. Headmaster, we may be here a bit longer than I had originally planned. Can we get excused from our afternoon classes? Professor Lupin, do you have any more classes today?" Lupin shook his head, taking a sip of his tea.

"I believe that would be acceptable, Miss Sullivan. I will inform all of your Professors of your absences, and you can make up the work. Now, Mr. Black, you will be explaining everything?"

Sirius nodded. He seemed to relax a bit in Dumbledore's company, though he was still a bit on edge. The students were all looking at him in rapt attention; Ron kept wanting to say something, but Hermione would elbow him and he'd stop. Harry was just watching the proceedings; since he'd heard it before, he wasn't expecting anything new.

"Are you sure it's wise for me to share the story with your friends, pup?" Sirius asked, addressing Harry. Harry started, as it was the first time Sirius had called him the term of endearment.

"Yeah. I would have told them anyways. I just didn't think either would believe me without proof, and the proof is in this room," Harry replied, shrugging.

"Fair enough," Sirius said. He took another sip of his tea before he recounted all that had happened from the time shortly before the Potters' death until the present. He glossed over Silver's involvement, but she gave him a sharp glare when he referred to her as "some anonymous help." She knew it wouldn't fool anyone in the room; they saw for themselves that she held a bit of control over both Sirius and Peter. When Sirius finished speaking, Lupin was looking at Sirius in amazement.

"You relied on the help of a child to capture Pettigrew?"

"To be fair, she seemed incredibly capable to do so. Clearly, I was right, even if her nobility got in the way of what I wanted."

"You wanted to kill a man, which would have made your case worse. At least with him alive, he can stand trial. So can you, so that you can be deemed a free man. As long as you are actually given a trial this time around, with evidence and whatnot," Silver said.

"What do you mean? Wasn't he given a fair trial?" Hermione asked, surprised.

"No. At that time, the Ministry was imprisoning as many people they could, with little supporting evidence. Since Sirius's case had witnesses, it was a pretty open and shut case. That, and the fact that he was being consumed by guilt for what he'd done to his friends, made him confess to a crime he didn't actually do."

"Well that's absurd. If they hadn't found a body, why didn't they investigate further?" Hermione seemed a bit put out.

"Since they only found Pettigrew's finger, they figured that the rest of him had exploded in the blast. However, that particular blasting spell wouldn't have been able to incinerate Pettigrew, it wouldn't have been concentrated enough."

Dumbledore's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. He was not normally phased by much in the way of intelligent students, but he was highly intrigued by Silver.

"How do you know what spell was used?" Lupin asked, curiously. Silver went to her bag and pulled out a file folder. As she went, she flicked her wand over to Peter, where the spells fortifying his cage were refreshed.

"I may have made a copy of the file when I first saw it," Silver commented when she saw everyone's curious looks.

"How were you able to obtain it?" Dumbledore asked. His voice was calm as ever, though twinged with a bit of curiousness.

"Margie's brother works in the Ministry. I got a tour of the place earlier in the summer, and he let me look at a few closed cases from the 80's. Sirius's popped out to me since it involved the Potters. I did a duplication charm and then placed it into my pocket after shrinking them."

"It is my understanding that the case files have an anti-duplication charm on it except from certain individuals," Dumbledore remarked.

"That is true. Which is why I filched his wand temporarily," Silver replied with a smirk. "He didn't even notice it was gone. Anyways, if you look at the blast pattern on the street, you can see where the initial launch point is. Based on the scorch marks, you can tell that it would have had to been an explosion spell rather than an incineration spell. If it were an incineration spell, the scorch marks would have been lower to the ground." Silver pointed to each point as she was speaking. Then, she turned to Peter.

"Did you use a regular 'Bombarda' or was it another blasting spell?" The tension in the room increased tenfold at her question; the occupants had been largely ignoring his presence.

"I-I can't remember," Peter muttered. He was looking at his feet. He couldn't seem to meet Silver's gaze, or anyone's for that matter.

"Doubtful. Headmaster?"

"Yes, Miss Sullivan?"

"Would it be possible to store the memories of both Peter and Sirius pertaining to the case for later use? If something happens to either one of them in the next few days, I'd like them to still be condemned or relieved of their crimes."

"Yes, it is a possibility. Memories lose their potency the longer that they are stored, though, so I wouldn't recommend it."

"I thought there was a Memory Salvage potion. Professor Snape had mentioned it in class the other day. Couldn't that be modified slightly to hold the memories without harming them?"

"Alas, it's possible, but with memories as precious as theirs, I wouldn't want to experiment with a potion solution."

"Hmm," Silver said. She began pacing the room, muttering to herself.

"I would like to ask something," Hermione interjected.

"What would you like to know, Hermione?"

"Why did you become Animagi in the first place, Sirius and Peter? That seems like such a risky endeavor to partake in just for fun." All were silent; Lupin and Black were having a silent conversation. Peter looked like he wanted to blurt it out but was just barely refraining. The three Gryffindors were looking anxiously at each other, since they weren't sure where the tension had come from. Dumbledore was as stoic as ever, with a calm smile on his face. Silver was still pacing; she had heard the question, but was ignoring it in favor of her thinking process.

"You can tell them, you know. They won't judge you for it," Silver finally said. "They respect you as a person, Professor." She resumed her pacing. A blackboard appeared in one corner of the room, where Silver began drawing.

"Whatever it is, we won't think badly of you. Any of you," Hermione said kindly.

"If you're sure. My friends Sirius, James, and Pettigrew all became Animagi to keep me company on the full moons. It was less lonely that way. It's a sacrifice that they were willing to pay in order to help my transformations more bearable," Lupin said. Hermione's eyes widened, while Ron's face turned to one of morbid fascination, which quickly changed to one of respect aimed at Sirius. Harry just looked baffled.

"Figured it out, then? I'm a werewolf."

"Is that why you've been out sick all week? Because of the full moon?" Harry asked.

"No. The bloody wanker had to get himself actually sick the week of the full moon just for kicks," Silver muttered from the other side of the room. She froze, realizing what she said.

"Sorry. I didn't mean any disrespect. Do you know how bloody difficult you are to take care of when you're delirious? You wouldn't have taken the Wolfsbane if I hadn't shown up, and where would we be now?" Silver's annoyance flared up again at the confession of him being a werewolf.

"Wait, that was you? I thought I was dreaming," Lupin responded, shocked.

"Yeah, it was me. I'm glad you're feeling better, by the way. I've wanted to check in all week, but couldn't between keeping Peter fed and the unexpected arrival of Sirius yesterday. You're all healed up now, right?" Silver cocked her head to the side curiously.

"Yes, I'm feeling much better. There isn't much that a transformation can't fix, even if it's not the most pleasant of cures. Thank you." He smiled in gratitude. Silver returned the smile, before resuming her work on the blackboard.

"Well, that makes sense then," Hermione stated matter-of-factly. "I'm glad you're feeling better, Professor." She smiled at him as well, before wandering over to Silver. She looked at the board, before her eyebrows scrunched together.

"What are you working on, Silver?"

"Potential futures," Silver replied shortly. Dumbledore looked at her curiously, watching the way she was drawing on the board. He steepled his hands in thought, before striding over to the board himself.

"May I ask about these potential futures, Miss Sullivan?" He could see that she wasn't fully lost to the fervor of writing everything down, which is why he asked.

"You may ask, but I may not answer," came the reply as she drew an arch from one set of words to another.

"Why are they in French?" Silver paused at this, looking over what she had already written. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly before she shrugged and resumed.

"I guess that's the way my brain works," Silver finally replied. A minute later, she had finished her work and stepped back.

"Woah," Ron said, coming up to the board. "That's a lot of predictions, even for you."

"This doesn't even make a dent into what I can normally do, Ron. These are just the ones pertaining to the three remaining Mauraders, Minister Fudge, and Dumbledore."

"Oh? And why am I included in this guesswork?" Dumbledore asked, amused.

"Because of your position as Chief Warlock, you have a bit of sway with the Wizengamont when you so choose. Plus, Fudge will feel threatened when he finds out you have not one, but two alleged criminals hiding in Hogwarts, right under the nose of the Dementors. He's going to think you're trying to bypass the system and usurp his authority, as he believes you've been wanting the Minister position for years, am I right?" Dumbledore nodded, his eyes alight with curiosity.

"The three most likely outcomes of this are these three," Silver continued, circling three different clusters of words. At their perplexed looks, she re-read the text on the board before flicking her wand at it. The words translated to English, and Lupin came closer to read the likely outcomes.

"Sirius gets off scot-free, Peter goes to Azkaban or Kissed, Sirius offers Harry place to live away from the Dursleys, they live happily until Voldemort returns to kill them all, but still together until the end. Cheery, that last bit," Lupin remarked.

"It's not an exact science," Silver sniffed indignantly. "One thing that does remain constant, though, is that Voldmort does return soon. It's just a matter of how and when. I still have this future as a possibility, though it changed with Peter's capture." She pointed to the one on the far right of the board, where Hermione read it out loud.

"Pettigrew escapes, finds Voldemort in Albania, nurses him to health while a Death Eater is placed at Hogwarts. Death Eater gets Harry to Voldemort, which is how he is resurrected with a new body. Sirius is fugitive of the law. Nearly gets Kissed, but is saved by Hermione, Harry, and Buckbeak. Prophecy enacted." Hermione paused to take a breath before continuing, "This one is the most detailed and the longest; I don't think I should read it all."

"Wise choice," Silver commented.

"Why is that one the most detailed?" Harry asked.

"Not sure, entirely. It's the clearest I've gotten, though. It pans out like a story, and I've had a few dreams about moments of this arc," Silver replied.

"What's the last one?" Ron asked, before reading the one in the center himself.

"Sirius freed, Peter imprisoned, Voldemort returns with help of Death Eater, prophecy, time jump, locket, Hor-horcrux hunt?" Ron seemed confused on the pronucation of the word 'Horcrux.'

Dumbledore's eyes widened slightly when he heard the word, and stepped up with his wand.

"Well, as you said, these are all _possible_ futures. Let's not waste time with these endeavors." He moved to clear the board with his wand, but Silver was impossibly faster. She waved her own wand and blocked Dumbledore's spell, before clearing the board herself. The words were transferred to her sketchbook, which was lying in front of the board.

"They're _my_ predictions, sir. Therefore I can do what I will with them, and I do not appreciate you going to erase them without my permission," Silver stated coolly. She wasn't mad at the Headmaster, just highly skeptical of his actions.

"Yes, of course. My apologies, Miss Sullivan. Perhaps I shall take Mr. Pettigrew to my office for the night? I will Floo call the Ministry tonight to have them pick him up tomorrow."

"With all due respect, sir, I believe he's safer here. Only I can open the door to this specific room, with the exception of you through the Floo. But you have more control over the castle than anyone, so it's not that surprising."

"I still think it would be better to keep Mr. Pettigrew close, just in case." Silver narrowed her eyes at this, but Lupin nodded.

"I agree that he'd be better with Dumbledore. He can keep the cage intact as well, so Pettigrew won't be able to transform." Silver muttered into Hermione's ear. She lit up with understanding, before she engaged Dumbledore in a seemingly innocent conversation. When Harry and Ron spotted Silver inching closer to Pettigrew's cage, they understood and joined into the conversation. They made sure to include Lupin and Sirius so as to throw suspicion.

Silver silently slipped next to Peter, where she hissed instructions to him. He was nervous, but he nodded. She looked around once more before enacting her plan.


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

The following day, Minister Fudge arrived in Dumbledore's office via Floo. With him were two stony-faced Aurors.

"All right, Albus. Your Floo call last night seemed rather urgent, so let's get right to it. Where are the prisoners?"

"I believe that there was only one prisoner, Cornelius. Mr. Peter Pettigrew," Dumbledore replied calmly.

"Peter Pettigrew? Now I know you called me here to waste my time. Pettigrew's been dead for thirteen years!"

"Not true. If you'll follow me," Dumbledore stood and led the way up to his chambers. There was a spare bedroom, as being Headmaster allowed him certain luxuries. He normally used the room for books and more trinkets, but in the center stood the cage from the Room of Requirement. It was empty.

Dumbledore stopped in shock, though he was careful not to show it on his face. Fudge barreled in behind him, demanding to see the so-called dead man.

"Alas, it appears that he has escaped. Curiously, it's a mystery as to why. I fortified the cage myself."

It was tensely silent for a few moments; Fudge was starting at the empty cage, while Dumbledore remained passive.

"Well if you're done wasting my time, Albus, I have to resume my search for Black." At that moment, there was a knock at the door. Dumbledore granted the person entrance with his wand. Silver stood at the door. Behind her was Sirius Black, who was glaring daggers. They were connected by a pair of magic infused handcuffs.

"Black!" Fudge cried, drawing his wand. The two Aurors also drew their wands, and fired spells at the two entrants. However, the spells bounced back as if they hit a shield.

"As long as he's connected to me, he cannot be harmed," Silver informed, dragging Sirius into the room. He looked mutinous, though Silver could tell he was just playing up the role of the trapped prisoner. "Bloody nuisance is what it is, Sullivan," Sirius muttered quietly. She smirked at him in return, before addressing Dumbledore.

"Where's Pettigrew? I was under the impression that he was here, which is why I brought Black, as requested." Fudge looked between the two of them in bafflement; then his face cleared and became one of fury.

"ALBUS!" Fudge yelled, "You've had Black the whole time?! I knew you were too soft on former Gryffindors, regardless of the crimes they've done. And who is this child?"

"Silver Sullivan, sir. To be fair, though, Black's only been in the castle since yesterday. Barged in on me studying in an empty classroom on the third floor. I of course informed the Headmaster as soon as I could. He's been up in the adjacent tower ever since."

Fudge didn't believe her. He went on ranting for a good five minutes. In that time, Silver inched towards the center of the room. The two Aurors were watching her, though made no move to stop her. Dumbledore was watching her curiously.

"Minister?" Silver interrupted. He ignored her in favor of ranting; she found it humorous, if a bit sad, that the leader of the wizarding community was having a hissy fit.

"Cornelius? Your ranting is getting us nowhere," Dumbledore finally said as Fudge was taking a breath.

Fudge stopped and looked around; he realized that he had made a bit of a fool of himself, and straightened himself up, as his bowler cap had gone askew because of the pacing.

"Thank you for bringing him to us, Miss-er-Sullivan, was it?" Silver nodded. "We'll take it from here; this man will never harm you again."

"Sirius didn't harm me whatsoever, as he is innocent of the crime he was sentenced with. Have you not seen Pettigrew?"

"Now, now, Albus. Why would you tell the girl that Pettigrew was alive? This man is a criminal, Miss Sullivan, and if you do not hand him over this instant, I'll have the Aurors remove him by force."

"I escaped Azkaban to kill Pettigrew, as the bastard had survived after blasting the street. He should be able to tell you as much," Sirius spoke at last. Fudge just laughed, "Oh, you think this is a conversation, do you, Black? You're going right back to Azkaban, and will put the public back at ease."

"Where's Pettigrew, Dumbledore? That should be enough proof for him," Sirius said, looking at Dumbledore.

"Alas, he had escaped during the night. I had neglected to reinforce the spells on them." Sirius looked shocked, before his face set determinedly. Silver could see the wheels turning in his head.

"Minister?" Silver prompted.

"Yes, yes, what is it?" Fudge asked, attempting to undo the handcuffs. He then motioned to the Aurors, who then attempted to break them.

"Isn't Black able to be afforded a real trial based on Magical Law Twelve, Section Eight? Since his first trial occurred during wartime, there was no time to investigate the proper evidence, and therefore he would be granted a re-trial."

"She's right," one of the Aurors said. He had a hint of respect glinting in his eyes at her words, before stepping away from the pair. "As such, we would only be able to imprison him in Azkaban once more when the trial is complete. You are granted the option of representation, Black, if you so choose."

Dumbledore looked at Sirius when this was spoken; clearly, he expected Sirius to choose him. However, with a determined set of his jaw, Sirius held up the arm attached to Silver.

"Here's my representation. Any inquiries go through her."

"Are you sure, Sirius? I have no formal teaching in Magical Law," Silver protested gently.

"Yeah, I'm sure. You've got something up your sleeve; I can see it in your eyes. Would it be permissible for me to stay at Hogwarts, or must I stay elsewhere before my trial?"

"You may remain here, as long as there is a guard stationed outside the door," the Auror informed.

"Now, wait just a minute! Black is a criminal! He-he shouldn't be-"

"Treated with basic respect in the ways of the law, Minister?"

"The public will have my head if it gets out that Black is getting a trial after all that he's done!"

"Public opinion is not everything, Minister. Mister Auror, sorry I do not know your name, would you be able to set up the proper procedure? Get a judge, or the Wizengamont. Be sure to send me details on the court date, please."

"Of course, Miss Sullivan," the Auror answered, amused. "My name is Edward DuPont, by the way. As you are newer to legal council, I'll also have someone from the Law Department at the Ministry to be in touch with you." Silver nodded, before turning to Fudge once more.

"I will see you at the trial, Minister?"

"I still do not believe this is a good idea; the public will uproar about it, and have my head. Situations like this require...balance. Albus, perhaps if you backed me up here?" There was a pause before Dumbledore responded.

"The law must be upheld, Cornelius. Use common sense." Fudge's face began to turn purple at that, before he crossed the room to the fireplace.

"I'll send more people to guard Black, though he really should be held at the Ministry. There's less of a security issue there." With that, he threw the Floo Powder into the flames and disappeared. He was followed by the other Auror, who hadn't spoken a word the entire time.

"Mr. DuPont?" At his nod, Silver continued, "Will you be working on this case properly? I mean, no shortcuts and gathering all of the necessary evidence?"

"Yes, I certainly will," he replied. They made their way to the Western Tower, with Dumbledore leading the way. Once they arrived, Silver followed Sirius into the cell.

"I need to correspond with my client," Silver said in her best professional voice. Dumbledore nodded, and was about to leave, before he addressed DuPont.

"You can leave the two of them together. Silver is more than capable of defending herself, and if I'm not mistaken, the handcuffs prevent them from harming each other as well." Silver nodded in agreement. DuPont hesitantly closed the door on them. Silver cast a weak silencing charm; that way DuPont could hear that they were conversing, but not know what it was about.

"You know you can't be attached to me forever, love," Sirius said, as he settled down onto the hard floor of the tower. Silver nodded, releasing the two of them from the handcuffs with a few complicated wand movements and muttered spells.

"Are you sure you trust me enough to do this for you, Sirius? I don't want to muck it up."

"Yes, I'm sure. As I said before, you've got something up your sleeve. Where the bloody hell is Pettigrew, though?"

"Safe. I have him locked in a smaller cage, which is with Hermione," Silver replied absentmindedly. "I'll have him ready for the trial, though I took his memories just to be on the safe side."

"See? I knew you could handle this, love," Sirius said with a cheeky grin.

"Now, if I'm going to be your legal council, I'll need you to be as honest as you can. No blurting things out unless I give the say-so, and under no circumstances are you allowed to talk to anyone from the press. We need to come up with identifiers."

"Identifiers? What do you mean?"

"I mean, a set of questions we can ask the other in order to verify identity. I wouldn't put it past someone to use Polyjuice Potion in order to get close to you or me to get the scoop on a case or to kill you," Silver stated matter-of-factly.

"All right then. We can do that, though I think you're being overly cautious. Any way you can make it more comfortable in here? I don't fancy sleeping on the stone."

Silver smiled before setting to work on making his prison cell a little more homely.


	34. Chapter 34

**Psst some reviews would be great. Thanks for the follows! :)**

 **Chapter 34**

Despite Sirius's case being a critical one, the majority of the Wizengamont had decided to postpone the trial until a week before Christmas. This gave Silver time to gather what information she could.

"Sometimes I wish I had a time-turner like you, Hermione," Silver commented one afternoon. The two were alone in the library, each working on their own projects.

"Oh, yes. I suppose you would, what with helping Sirius and all that. Do you think Dumbledore knows where Pettigrew went?"

"No, I don't think so. Granted, I wouldn't put it past him to have been eavesdropping on mine and Sirius's conversations," Silver said, with a scowl. Hermione looked up at her, surprised.

"Professor Dumbledore wouldn't impose like that, I'm sure." Silver looked skeptical, but decided not to push it; her own opinions on Professor Dumbledore were most likely not shared by the majority of the community.

"Are you getting enough sleep? Your eyes have got bags under them."

"Hm? Oh I get enough. There's just so much work that needs to be done."

"Let me see your schedule, please?" Hermione handed it over without protest; it was color coded per subject, as well as notated with a clock sticker for every time she was supposed to go backwards or forward. As Silver looked it over, she saw that Hermione had over-booked herself; she wouldn't be able to maintain the pace she was going for much longer.

"Might I suggest you drop Divination for next term? You're not the biggest fan of the subject, and I'm worried that you're pushing yourself too hard," Silver suggested gently.

"No, no. I'm not going to give up on the subject, even if I think it's rubbish."

"The point of us taking these electives is to figure out what we do and do not like, for potential futures. There is absolutely no shame in dropping a class that you do not enjoy, Hermione." Silver grabbed Hermione's hand, to get her friend to pay attention to what she was saying.

"You hear me? The way you're going now, you're going to burn yourself out. And that's not healthy."

"I'm fine," Hermione said waspishly. She yanked her hand from Silver's and resumed her work.

"Just think about it, ok? I'm worried about your health and sanity." Hermione made a non-committal noise; she was lost in her work. Silver made a few minor adjustments to Hermione's schedule, hoping that she wouldn't notice.

A couple of hours later, Silver found herself in her dorm room surrounded by her female housemates. There were snacks galore, courtesy of Daphne and Tracy's last trip to Hogsmeade. Tracy Davis was a girl that Silver hadn't ever spoken to, even though they shared a dorm room. Pansy gathered everyone's attention, before leaning forward conspiratorially.

"Have you heard that Black's been captured? The Ministry is allowing him a trial, even though he killed all of those people."

"Oh, really? And how could you possibly know that?" Daphne scoffed.

"Father told me. He's on the Wizengamont, you know. I'm not supposed to know, but he wanted me to be informed." Pansy smirked.

"There's a reason that it's not supposed to be common knowledge," Silver remarked.

"Oh yeah? And what's that, Sullivan?" Pansy asked, sugar sweetly. Her eyes were smug; she clearly thought that Silver would be walking into a verbal trap.

"The media loves blowing things out of proportion. I'm sure that Black is being given a trial for a reason. Perhaps there was new evidence brought to light." Pansy pouted slightly, realizing that Silver wasn't going to share anything of importance.

"I heard a rumor that Black's in the castle at this moment," Tracy piped up. "Being guarded by Aurors, away from everyone."

"Where'd you hear that?" Pansy asked, horrified. "Dumbledore must be off his rocker if he's allowing a convicted criminal to stay here."

"I have my ways," Tracy replied with a smug smile.

"Would one of those ways be a boy named Jarvis McKennel?" Silver asked, smirking. Tracy blushed, much to the amusement of the other girls.

"And what would you know about that, Silver?" Tracy retorted.

"I know I've seen you flirting with him a few times this year, and I heard you went on a date with him on Halloween," Silver replied.

"Oh, you're just jealous no one wants you," Tracy bit back. Silver blinked in surprise.

"I wasn't intending to hurt you, Tracy. I was just sharing my observations." Silver was trying to amend the anger the other girl seemed to have.

"That was a bit harsh, Trace," Daphne commented. "What's up with you today?" Silver wordlessly handed Tracy a chocolate bar; it was dark chocolate raspberry, her favorite. Tracy bit into it; her eyes widened in surprise.

"You know what kind of chocolate I like? How?"

"I know what to look for," Silver replied. Tracy took another bite before answering Daphne's question.

"I saw Jarvis with another girl. I mean, I probably should have expected it. We only flirt and went on the one date. And he's a year older than us, while the girl he was with was the same year. They were snogging."

"Well, then he's an idiot," Millicent declared, breaking her own silence. The other girls stared at her for a moment before laughing.

"In my opinion, dating at this age is just for the fun of it. I wouldn't worry about it too much, though it does suck that he hadn't told you it was just for fun," Silver commented.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. We've got our whole lives to worry about boys. We may as well make the most of the time before that's all we think about," Tracy said, her seemingly chipper self once more.

"Makeover time!" Pansy cried, beginning to grab various magical beauty tools.

"Why, though?" Silver asked. At the glares from the other girls, aside from Millicent, she continued, "I mean, we're all pretty without make-up and fake hair-do's. But I mean, hey, if that's what you guys want to do, go for it."

"Oh, no. You're here this time, Sullivan. You're getting the whole experience," Tracy demanded, pulling Silver into the chair in front of Pansy's bed.

"Let's get to it, shall we?" Pansy asked, with a wicked gleam in her eyes. Silver sighed, resigning herself to her fate.

Later that night, after the other girls had finally fallen asleep, Silver made her way down to the common room. She wanted to read up more on Magical Law, to ensure that she wouldn't be caught off guard in the courtroom. As she headed to her favorite armchair by the fire, she realized that she wasn't alone. Draco Malfoy was laying on the couch, staring at the flames. He appeared lost in thought.

Silver quietly made her way to the armchair and settled herself in. The nightdress that Daphne at thrust at her after they had done her hair made Silver more conscious of how she placed her feet upon the chair. Sighing slightly in frustration, she pulled her wand from the book and summoned a blanket from across the room. Tucking it under her legs, she felt eyes on her. Looking up, she saw Draco staring at her in amusement. When he saw her looking, however, his expression turned blank.

"What are you doing up at this hour?" Draco asked.

"I could ask you the same," Silver replied. "But, since you asked first, I wanted to do some reading before going to sleep."

"And the get-up?" Draco asked, mouth twitching into a smile.

"Results of Pansy and Daphne giving me a makeover. I feel ridiculous."

"I agree. You do look ridiculous. The hair's not bad, though," Draco replied seriously.

"It's a French Braid; it's really hard to look bad with one of those, unless you've got incredibly short hair," Silver remarked, "Then it'd just look like a scorpion's tail." Draco smiled at this mental image.

"So what are you doing up, Draco? You were staring pretty intently at the fire," Silver asked, bringing them back to the conversation.

"I lost track of time. I hadn't even noticed everyone else go up to bed."

"Oh? Something on your mind, then?" Draco nodded, and then sat up.

"Pansy's been upset at me, lately. I don't know if you'd noticed."

"I knew she was in a foul mood a couple of days ago. She insisted it had nothing to do with me, but I keep getting 'I despise you' vibes, so I wasn't sure what to believe."

"Really? Hmm, I'm not sure why that is, unless she figured something out." Silver quirked an eyebrow, but didn't reply to his comment.

"So why has Pansy been upset at you?" Silver asked, after a few seconds.

"She's gotten it into her head that she fancies me. Or at the very least, that we'll end up together someday as part of an arranged marriage. You know how that works, right, in some pureblood families?" Silver nodded. "Well, I told her that I didn't like her that way. At least not at the moment, and she got all huffy. Then she tried to weasel her way into my good graces by doing me favors. But she was never in my bad graces. I consider her a friend, so all of these extra favors made me realize that I do like someone who is not her." Draco fell silent at this. Silver moved and sat next to him on the couch in order to comfort him somewhat. Draco turned towards her, gauging her reaction. Silver just looked back at him. He was looking at her intently, as if he had asked her a question that she hadn't answered. Silver backtracked over what he had said.

"Me? You like me?" Silver whispered.

"Yes," Draco said. He leaned towards her, after seeing no hostility to her knowing the truth. However, Silver turned her cheek when he got close enough. He ended up kissing it for a second, before realizing that it wasn't her lips. He pulled back.

"I'm sorry, Draco. I don't like you in that way. We're barely friends right now, and our views are too dissimilar to ever be more than friends. I, um, I'm going to go to bed now. Are you all right?" Silver said worriedly. She saw his Malfoy mask slip into place, but not until after she saw the hurt reflected in his eyes.

"I'll be fine, Sullivan. Go to bed. I'll see you later," Draco said dismissively.

"Ok, then. Um, Draco?" Silver said as she was about to go up the stairs. He looked at her in acknowledgment.

"Please don't take it personally. I haven't gotten to the point where I'm looking at anyone romantically. You'll make someone happy someday, even if it's only for a bit. As I told the girls, dating at this age is just for the fun of it. It shouldn't reflect anything serious." He looked at her impassively, though she knew that he heard her. "Good night, Draco."

"Good night, Silver."


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35**

The following weeks were spent with Silver researching for Sirius's case and studying for her classes. She had told both Neville and Luna what was going on, as they had both shown their worry for her in their own ways, but vowed them to secrecy.

Draco had been avoiding Silver ever since that night in the common room, something that seemed to please Pansy greatly. The Slytherin girls made it a tradition to have monthly sleepovers, though Silver managed to convince Daphne, Pansy, and Tracy that they didn't need to have makeovers every time. A week before Hogwarts broke for the holidays, Millicent approached Silver in the library. Silver was immersed her case files, which were disguised as Charms homework; thus, she didn't notice Millicent until she sat down across from her. Silver took one look at Millicent before reaching into her bag and grabbing a cookies and cream chocolate bar. She handed it to Millicent, who took it. However, she didn't eat it. Silver looked at her housemate quizzically, before spotting Madame Pince hovering nearby. Millicent subtly gestured that she wanted to talk, so Silver packed up her things and followed her out of the library.

Silver let Millicent lead the way, figuring that she'd have a destination in mind. Sure enough, they approached an empty room on the fifth floor. Despite Silver's many wanderings of the castle, she had never noticed the room before. Curiously, she followed Millicent into the room, her eyes widening once she began processing what she was seeing. The room was another sort of common room, but unlike the two that she had seen thus far. There were pillows of all sizes and shapes scattered around the room, as well as beanbags and puffy armchairs. Overall, the room gave an impression of supreme comfortableness. Millicent sat down in one of the puffy armchairs, which changed colors from a Gryffindor red to a Slytherin green. When Silver sat down in the one adjacent to her, the color became multi-colored; each of the four houses were represented. Millicent looked at Silver's chair in surprise. She hadn't been expecting the multiple colors.

"So what's up, Millie?" Silver asked, pulling an apple out of her bag and taking a bite. She had begun calling Millicent by the nickname a few weeks ago, though refrained from doing so in front of her other housemates. Millicent unwrapped the chocolate bar and took a bite before speaking.

"I know you're working on the Black case. You've done well to hide it, but the trial's coming up in a couple weeks, right?" Silver froze, before nodded hesitantly. "Would memories pertaining to Black's character be helpful? Especially for during the time of the War?"

"It could be helpful to show that he wasn't consumed by the Black madness that seems to take hold of the family. Why?"

"Father tells stories from the days of the War, when he was serving under the Dark Lord. Usually it's only when he's inebriated, but my memories of the stories can be viewed."

"Unfortunately, memories can be altered so aren't always used in a court of law as viable evidence. Since your father was also cleared of being a Death Eater, it would put him into question as well, and it'd be best to avoid that. Plus, since you're still a minor, your memories wouldn't hold as much weight."

"You're a minor too, yet they're letting you defend a man against the whole Wizengamont with no formal legal training."

"Well, I have been backed by both Sirius and Dumbledore. And I have someone from the Ministry assisting in the legalities of it all. It's an unusual situation, but I'm hopeful that it'll all work out for the best." They both ate in silence, before Silver spoke again.

"What else is going on?"

"What do you mean?" Millicent kept her face stoic as she answered.

"You didn't bring me here to talk about the case. Or at least, that's not all you wanted to talk about."

Millicent was quiet for a few minutes. Silver waited patiently.

"Am I pretty?" Millicent blurted.

"You are when you're not constantly scowling," Silver replied. "Why do you ask?"

"A few boys were making fun of me. I punched one of them before they ran off, but that can't take back what they said."

"Boys can be idiots. Did the guy bleed?" Silver asked wickedly.

"Yup. I swore I saw him start to cry, too. Though my toughness makes me less girly, which isn't that appealing to guys. At least that's what I've heard."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. I wish I could fight better. I learned a bit growing up, but it's been so long since I've needed those skills that I'm afraid I've forgotten them."

"I could teach you, you know. Father wanted a son, but got me. He gave me a private tutor who taught me all sorts of fighting techniques, though he stayed away from weapons. He kept telling me we'd cover them once I was older, but then Father fired him before we got that far."

"Well I can teach you a bit of knife-wielding and defense. That much I remember learning."

"That'd be fun. Maybe we could get together over the holiday?"

"Maybe. I'll have to check with Margie." It was quiet for a few minutes after that. Silver had pulled out her sketchbook and was making random doodles of the room.

"How'd you find this room, anyhow?" Silver asked.

"I stumbled across it after Charms sometime last year. I try to come here at least once a week," Millicent answered, returning to her book.

"Millie?"

"Hm?"

"May I draw you?" Millicent looked over at Silver with a look of confusion upon her face.

"Um, I suppose so, but I'm not much to look at."

"Nonsense. You're beautiful." Millicent blushed.

"Do you want me in a specific position?"

"Nah, where you are is fine. Just try not to move over-much. It'll throw off the shadows if you do." Millicent nodded, before resuming her reading. After about an hour, Silver announced, "I've finished it. Do you want to see?" Millicent bookmarked her place before nodding. Silver held it up for her friend to see, causing Millicent to gasp.

"What? It's not that bad, is it? I tried my best, but I've never done a portrait before, so I may be a bit off," Silver said worriedly.

"You...made me pretty," Millicent breathed, coming closer. Silver scrunched her face in confusion.

"I just drew what I saw. So I guess that does make you pretty." Millicent threw her arms around Silver, causing her to drop the sketchbook. As she put her arms around Millicent to return the hug, she noticed the apple scent that lingered to her skin. When they pulled apart, Silver looked into Millicent's face and smiled slightly. Then, feeling brave, Silver leaned closer and tentatively kissed Millicent on the lips. She lingered as she pulled away, before Millicent kissed her again, for a bit longer. Then, they both stepped away from each other, blushing. Neither knew what to say, so they packed up their stuff and started walking to dinner.

Before they reached the Grand Hall, Millicent stopped Silver with a touch on the shoulder.

"Um. Can we pretend that never happened?" Silver's heart stopped for a beat, before she put on a smile.

"Yeah. Um, sure. Sorry, it won't happen again." Millicent nodded, before giving her friend a tentative smile.

"So I'll see you later?" Millicent awaited Silver's nod before heading into the Great Hall. Silver stood there for nearly a minute, before walking past the doors and going to her dormitory without dinner.


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36**

The day of Sirius' trial found Silver outside his cell door, with a change of clothes and some toiletries. After gaining admission, at the hands of a female Auror, Silver saw that Sirius was still in bed.

"Wake up, sleepyhead. Today's the day of the trial. I need you to look sharp, though the Ministry people probably aren't expecting that." Silver paused after a few seconds of silence. As she crossed the small room to Sirius's bed, her blood ran cold at what she saw.

Sirius was laying on his side, with a half-eaten biscuit in his hand. His skin appeared clammy, and though he was breathing, he was unconscious. Sitting next to him was Peter, in his rat form, also unconscious. He had crumbs on his cheeks, which indicated to Silver that the biscuit was to blame.

Suddenly, Minister Fudge was there, calling her an insolent child who had no right to be present in a court of law. There was a flash of faces before her; each one taunting her and calling her a failure. She saw both Sirius and Peter laying on the floor of a prison cell, completely lifeless and their eyes a cloudy white. There were a couple of Dementors, who then turned to her.

"Silver? SILVER!" Silver jolted awake to the sound of Harry's voice. As her eyes opened, she found that Harry's hands were on her shoulders from trying to shake her awake. When she looked up, her eyes met worried emeralds. She was breathing heavily, and was covered in a cold sweat. Belatedly, she realized she was shaking as well, and attempted to tell her body to stop. It didn't work, but it gave her something to focus on other than her evident nightmare.

"Silver?" Harry asked quietly. Silver looked up at him, wary. She took his hands and pulled him onto the bed so that he was sitting next to her. She burrowed into his shoulder, surprising him as he instinctively wrapped his arms around her. He stroked her hair as she sobbed quietly, waiting for her to calm down enough to talk. When the shaking stopped, he drew her up so that they were facing each other. He took her hands and began mindlessly tracing shapes into them. Silver smiled slightly, as the gesture reminded her of Luna and it calmed her down further.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Harry asked, quietly. Silver sighed.

"No, but it'd probably help. I'm worried that I'll mess up today, and condemn both Sirius and Peter to a fate worse than death."

"Why are you worried about Pettigrew? He deserves whatever he gets," Harry replied bitterly.

"There's reasons he became the way he did, capable of leading to his friends' death. It doesn't excuse his behavior, but it at least explains it. Although he isn't asking for my help, I'm going to try getting him a sentence less than the Kiss." Harry scowled in response. Silver poked his cheek playfully a couple of times, causing his scowl to change into a bright grin.

"Did you ever get a response from your legal advisor whether I'd be able to attend or not?"

"Yeah. She said that you are allowed to come, as Sirius is your godfather and it pertains to your parents' death. However, I can't use you as a witness to either of their characters because you'd be considered biased."

"Fair enough. You should get ready; we'll be leaving for the Ministry at eleven." Silver nodded in acknowledgment as Harry left. As she looked around the Room of Requirement, which was transformed into a bedroom decked out in a mix of the house colors, she thought about her dream. She would have loved to visit Sirius, but he had been brought to the Ministry the night before in anticipation of the trial. She looked over at Peter's cage. He was staring at her, with human-like curiosity in his beady rat eyes.

"Are you mad that I've asked you to stay in your rat form?" Silver asked, watching him intently.

Peter shook his head. He then used his front paws to indicate getting bigger before tilting his head to the side.

"I want the Wizengamont to see you transform into a man. It'd be a nice segue into my counter-argument." Peter made the gesture again. Sighing, Silver used her wand to move the cage into the center of the room and enlarged it, ensuring that the bars would not allow him to escape. Then, she removed the spell upon it preventing him from shifting. He shifted immediately, before groaning.

"I always forget how much it hurts to shift back into human after a while as a rat," he commented, stretching out his sore muscles.

"So what's up with you?" Silver asked, crossing the room and making them both a cup of tea. Harry had boiled the kettle for her, knowing how she liked tea first thing in the morning. She handed Peter his cup before sitting cross legged in front of him.

"It's about the trial. You told the Potter boy that you'd try to get me a lesser sentence? How do you plan to do that?"

"Well, the majority of your servitude has been out of fear, right? And a bit of petty revenge?" At Peter's nod, she continued, "I have a couple of people who can attest to your change, aside from Sirius, who is the one standing trial and Lupin, who unfortunately I wouldn't be able to use as a viable witness."

"Oh really? And who would that be?"

"Nope, you're not getting an answer out of me that easily. You'll have to wait until the trial like everyone else. However, I do want to prepare you for what's to come, at least a bit."

Peter looked at her questioningly and a bit fearfully.

"As I am underage, I will be unable to use magic at the Ministry. Madame Bones, one of the people who works in the Underage Magic division, tried to make an exception as I'm Sirius' legal council, but was unsuccessful. What this means is that I'm going to trust you explicitly to not change into a man until I ask you to. It will be scary, I'm sure, since you have essentially been dead for thirteen years. I will be carrying you in my pocket until we reach the court room, where you'll be on the desk doing whatever it is that rat familiars do. When we get to the part of calling witnesses, you would be my first one." She paused, to gauge how Peter was taking this news. He looked wary, though Silver could see he was shocked as well. She also saw a bit of calculation behind the wariness.

"Can I trust you, Peter?" Silver asked quietly. "Or will you betray yet another one of your friends?" Peter's eyes widened slightly before he took a sip of his tea. He was stalling, which Silver allowed.

"You...consider me a friend? Even after all I've done?" His voice held shock and trepidation.

"Yes. I do. I believe that you want to change but must pay for your crimes," Silver replied quietly. She got a flash of Peter grinning wickedly as he used a wand to change back into a rat, before scampering off. She shuddered as this image faded.

"I don't want to go to Azkaban," Peter said. His voice was not fearful, but sure. "I've been playing nice, hoping that I'd get a chance to escape, but you've been ever so diligent in keeping up with the spellwork."

"What would you do with that freedom? Return to the Dark Lord and try to repent your sins to him by helping him?"

"I would return to him, because he would deem me useful. I can help him gain his glory once more."

"His glory? He is nothing more than a masochistic dictator hell bent on destroying society as we know it."

"He was glorious, in his prime. Utterly terrifying, sure. But he has a cause and sticks to it. I'd be useful to him without having to suffer in the likes of Azkaban." Silver scoffed.

"You think returning to him is going to lessen your suffering? He is barely alive at the moment, most likely living through snakes to maintain a form. He wouldn't have another Quirrell stumble upon him randomly to possess. If you return to him, you'll be responsible for nursing him back to health until he can obtain a body. Most dark magic requires a sacrifice of the servant or of the user. You think Lord Voldemort will let you live a merciful life? You will be asked to do horrid things, and you will suffer. At least in Azkaban the only thing you'd have to worry about are the Dementors and the cat-calls of your inmates." Silver was looking at him with disgust as he recoiled in horror at that thought. "Oh, but the other Death Eaters think that you betrayed them, since your little secret giving led to their great Lord's downfall. You want to redeem yourself before showing your face to them, don't you?" She scowled as she was hit with another vision. This one had Peter cutting off his arm, which fell into a cauldron. This was followed by a high pitched laugh. Silver paced back and forth across the room, trying to get the images out of her head. She got a few other visions as well; one of a man with wild eyes and sandy brown hair yelling at Professor Snape, Dumbledore, a female house-elf, and a ragged looking Harry. Another of Peter, dangling above a large dining room table with a giant snake circling underneath him. The last one that hit her was of Peter in Azkaban, shaking in the corner as taunts were thrown his way. There was a buckle around his ankle, that Silver recognized as an anti-transformation cuff.

As she came back to reality, Silver leveled Peter with a glare before crossing the room to the chalkboard that had appeared. She drew quickly, putting her visions down onto the board. Peter stared at her, transfixed. He had been expecting her to explode, not randomly start pacing and then draw like a possessed person.

"Fine then, Pettigrew," Silver said sharply, as she turned the board towards him. "Here are your possible futures." She showed him each of the drawings, which depicted each of the futures that she saw of him. She left the one with Harry out, as she was unsure how that pertained to Pettigrew. As Peter looked at the drawings, he paled considerably, before pointing to the one of him cutting his own arm off.

"What's that one supposed to be?"

"Your sacrifice for the Dark Lord's return." Silver looked at the clock; she had a little more than an hour left before she was expected at Dumbledore's office. She grabbed a pastry from the tray that was sitting by the tea tray, before gathering her clothes for the trial. She placed them in a neat pile on the edge of the bed, along with her shower things.

"What is your decision, Pettigrew? Just know that you will be participating in the trial either way. It's just a matter of whether I force you or you do it willingly."

"But you can't use magic; you told me that yourself."

"There's nothing stopping me from using potions, as it is not technically illegal."

"Are those the only futures you saw? Are they the only ones that can happen?"

"No. The future is not certain. These are only the potential ones. For all I know, you could get off scot free, and Sirius goes back to Azkaban." Peter just looked at her, before sighing heavily.

"I do not want to go to Azkaban," he repeated.

"Well that's too damn bad," Silver snipped. "Forced it is. I had hoped that you would have chosen the right way." She forced him back into his rat form and made the cage small again. She then spelled a buckle onto the cage, which prevented him from escaping and from transforming. She had gotten the idea from her vision of Pettigrew in Azkaban, where she'd be able to remove the buckle when it was time for him to come forth as a witness. Ensuring that everything was where it needed to be, Silver dropped the rest of her pastry into the cage before leaving to get ready for the trial.


	37. Chapter 37

**This is a long chapter, at least by my standards. Enjoy. :D**

 **Chapter 37**

Silver was dressed in her best robes, which were a dark purple. As she stepped out of the Floo grate into the Ministry's foyer, she was struck by how little had changed since her last visit there. Harry stepped out after her, followed by Dumbledore and Professor Lupin. Silver led the way to the wand check area, where all of their wands were checked. She then led the way to the elevators, pushing the button for the eleventh level.

"Silver?" Professor Lupin's voice rang through the lift; it was empty aside from the four of them.

"Yes, Professor?"

"Are you ready for this?"

"Yes, Professor. Headmaster?" Dumbledore nodded in acknowledgment.

"Please don't interfere, unless things are looking completely dire. You hold much sway over these people, but I would like to attempt to do it myself, first."

"I will do as you wish, Miss Sullivan. Please do not forget what we have discussed." Silver nodded, before turning to the lift doors.

"Floor eleven, Department of Mysteries," the cool female voice intoned from the speaker.

"Department of Mysteries? Are you sure this is the right floor, Silver?"

"Yeah, Harry. Come on, it's this way. The elevator doesn't go down to the courtrooms, since they had been built before the lift was installed. Poor planning, in my opinion." Silver set off at a brisk pace, her companions following. Peter was squeaking loudly in his cage, which Silver was carrying.

"Hush, Peter. No matter how loud you squeak, it won't help you escape your fate," Silver said sharply. Harry's eyebrows shot to his hairline in surprise at her tone.

"Erm, Headmaster?"

"Yes, Miss Sullivan?"

"Would I just go through those doors? Is there another entrance for the seating?"

"Yes, to both questions. I will lead Harry and Remus to their seats before I take my own seat among the Wizengamont."

"Thank you, sir. I'll see you all later, then," Silver said, hugging Harry tightly and shaking Professor Lupin's hand. She waved good-bye to Dumbledore, before taking a deep breath and walking into the courtroom.

It was a large, circular room. There were benches risen around the circumference of the room, with the exception of the wall in which the door was on. That wall held Ministry propaganda, including old Prophet clippings from Fudge's campaign and wanted posters. As she walked in, she felt the telltale sign of a Dementor and frowned as she looked for it. She spotted it hovering in the air above the courtroom, above a large chair that had chains attached to it. Chained to the chair was Sirius, who looked hollow in the presence of the Dementor. When she came into his view, however, he flashed her a quick grin. She sat at the table closest to him; there was another table next to her, where a sour looking man was sitting.

"Hey Sirius," Silver greeted. The proceedings hadn't started yet, and there was talking among the occupants in the room. Everything was hushed and serious though, which set a tone of foreboding to Silver.

"Hey, love. You ready for this?"

"Yes. Do you know who that man is?" Silver asked, indicating the man opposite to her. He was staring at the two of them in interest.

"That'd be Blackthorn. Don't know his first name, but he'll be asking opposing questions to whichever witnesses you have."

"I thought that was handled by the Wizengamont? Having a prosecutor against the defense seems a bit more like Western law practices."

"Yeah, it's a bit different since this is a re-trial. Blackthorn was assigned to poke holes in your case. Essentially his purpose is to ensure I go back to Azkaban."

"Hm, all right. It would have been nice for a bit of warning, but whatever. I'm prepared for counter arguments, at least the best I can be. How're you holding up?" She gestured subtly towards the Dementor.

"It's a lot better than a whole swarm, but it's still depressing as hell, love. Look sharp, they'll be starting in a few." Silver took out her notes, arranging them neatly on the desk, before checking on the Wizengamont for signs of beginning. The dictator wasn't even at their desk, so she guessed that it was still all right to talk. She walked over to Blackthorn, giving him a polite smile.

"Hello. My name is Silver Sullivan. You're Blackthorn, correct?" He nodded. Silver offered her hand.

"I hope that we can maintain propriety today. Or at least, as best as we can in a court-room."

"You are going to lose, child." His voice sent a chill down her spine, the German accent making his words seem rougher. He did not take her hand.

"We shall see about that, Mr. Blackthorn," Silver said coolly, before returning to her desk. A minute later, Fudge banged his gavel to gain the attention of the surrounding crowd. There were the formal introductions of each of the Wizengamont, before he turned to the three people in the lower section.

"The accused, please state your name for the record," Fudge intoned.

"Sirius Orion Black, of the Noble House of Black," Sirius replied.

"The accused legal council, please state your name for the record," Fudge continued.

"Silver Ophelia Sullivan, of the House of Sullivan and the House of Selwyn," Silver replied promptly.

"Er, I'm sorry, did you say Selwyn?" Fudge asked. He looked perplexed.

"Yes, I did, sir. Is there a problem?"

"The Selwyn name died out with Claudia Selwyn in 1982," a female member of the Wizengamont responded.

"Yes, that was my mother. Is this relevant?" Silver asked.

"Not at the present. Moving on, will the prosecutor please state his name for the record?"

"Melbourne Jackson Blackthorn," came the reply. Fudge then read the charges, which were all expected. He then allowed Silver to take the floor, treating her like a regular lawyer despite his misgivings.

"The charges against Black in regards to the killing of the thirteen Muggles and Peter Pettigrew can be resolved with one simple thing. My first witness," Silver stated, placing the rat cage on the ground. Fudge was about to protest, as having a rat as a witness was not credible, until he saw the cage grow with the removal of the lock Silver had placed on it. Silver glared at the rat, who refused to change despite the lack of magic keeping him in his rat form.

"Miss Sullivan, a rat is not a witness. It can't even talk!" Fudge protested. There were murmurs among the members, with the exception of Dumbledore.

"One moment, Minister. If you will recall, several weeks ago Headmaster Dumbledore had called you to his office to inform you that Peter Pettigrew was alive." At this, a few of the members looked at her skeptically. Others gasped in surprise. "Yet, upon arrival, the cage was empty. It was chalked up to him having escaped, although since there was no proof, you understandably did not believe the Headmaster. Peter Pettigrew is an unregistered animagus."

"You have no proof of that!" A member of the Wizengamont protested.

"Don't I, sir? The proof is sitting right in front of you. Pettigrew, last chance," Silver said. With a moment of no change, the courtroom held its breath in anticipation. Silver pressed a button on the cage, which sent a flash of dull white light to hit the rat. It took a second, but then Peter Pettigrew was sitting in the cage. He didn't seem to realize that he had been changed back, at first, since he was still acting as a rat. At Silver's glare, however, he gasped in surprise once he realized his hands were human once more. Everyone stared at Pettigrew in shock before looking at Silver with curiosity and no small amount of fear. Fudge stated for the record what had just happened. Peter, forgetting all decorum in his anger snapped out at Silver.

"How in the hell did you do that? You're not supposed to use magic outside of school, as you so inelegantly told me."

"I think we'd all like to know that, Miss Sullivan," came Blackthorn's voice. He was staring at her with hostility.

"The cage is of my own invention," Silver said, walking over to the cage. "I stored the force-change spell, which can forcibly change an animagus back into their original form, in this crystal." She pointed to a glittering emerald that was affixed to the handle of the cage.

"I then weaved another spell to connect this button," she indicated to it, "to the crystal. It completes the circuit, causing the spell stored within the crystal to be released. In this manner, I was able to use magic, without using a wand, therefore circumventing any underage magic laws. I double checked the laws, twice, before creating this." The whole courtroom stared at her in astonishment. Gaining his composure, Fudge resumed the proceedings.

"Enter a description of Pettigrew, Mia, for the record," he instructed. He gestured for Silver to continue.

"As you can see, Pettigrew is alive and missing a finger. He had cut it off before transforming, after blowing up the street with the Muggles. This is supported by the fact that the blast pattern on the street correlates coming from a wand that was at least three inches shorter than Sirius's arm height. Pettigrew fits that height. I was also able to acquire his wand, which is here. If you would be so kind, Minister, to cast a Priori Incantum on it?" Silver walked over to the front, presenting a box with a wand within it. Fudge had the records checked to verify that the wand was in fact Pettigrew's before doing as Silver had asked. The spell revealed that the last hex cast from the wand was a blasting one. This particular one was commonly used by Death Eaters when they wanted to make the most damage after raiding a building.

"Further evidence that Black was not the one to betray the Potters. If you would both please roll up the sleeve of your left arm?"

"I would, love, but these shackles prevent all movement," Sirius replied. Peter just glared at Silver, not doing as she asked.

"Mr. Blackthorn," Silver said. "Would you please roll up both Mr. Black's and Mr. Pettigrew's sleeves? That way, I can not be accused of a slight of hand." Blackthorn nodded gruffly, before roughly exposing Sirius' forearm and crossing over to Peter's cage. He hesitated slightly, remembering the power that had come from it earlier.

"You will be able to reach through the cage, sir. The only spell on it is to prevent Pettigrew from changing back into a rat," Silver said. Blackthorn nodded, before snatching Pettigrew's arm and pulling up the sleeve. The Dark Mark was clearly visible; it flexed as Peter thrashed. It was a muted black, as if the power that stemmed to it was still present, but weak. The crowd gasped.

"Thank you, Mr. Blackthorn." He grunted before returning to his seat.

"Pettigrew," Silver said. Peter looked at her, his eyes full of malice. He was no longer the trembling man he was, though Silver knew he was putting on a show for some reason.

"Why did you become a Death Eater, when all of your friends were a part of the opposing side?" He blinked stupidly, his eyes switching to wariness; he hadn't been expecting the question.

"The Dark Lord was stronger. My so-called friends abandoned me when I needed them most, in the midst of a break-up and wondering if fighting for the Order was the right decision."

"Had the person you were dating been the one to introduce you to Lord Voldemort's cause?" Silver asked. Almost everyone flinched at her use of his name.

"Yes. She brought me to his speeches, which were held in an attempt to get more followers."

"Did you know that it was Lord Voldemort at first?"

"No. He was incredibly charismatic; the majority of the crowd loved him."

"Did you realize that he was advocating for the eradication of Muggles and Muggle-borns right away?"

"No. He made it sound as if it was just making wizard-kind a better community."

"When did you figure it out?"

"When I was too deep to get out. By that time, Maddie had broken up with me and I had begun believing in his cause."

"Excuse me, Miss Sullivan," the menacing voice of Blackthorn came from across the room. "Is there a reason for this line of questioning, or are you planning on wasting the Wizengamont's time?"

"Yes, sir. I'm almost there. By the way, the woman in which he is referring to is Madeline Yaxley. Her brother had been on trial for being a Death Eater, though he was cleared of all charges due to his claims of being under the Imperious Curse. It is unknown whether she herself was accused of working for Voldemort. Regardless." Silver faced Peter once more.

"When Sirius made you Secret Keeper for the Potters, did you report their whereabouts to Voldemort?" Peter looked at her. His eyes held a bit of defiance; she knew that he would deny it. However, she was interrupted by a question from Susan Bones.

"Excuse me. Did you say that Black made Pettigrew Secret Keeper for the Potters?"

"Yes, I did. Sirius, can you verify that you had indeed done so, and your reasoning?"

"Yes, I passed the responsibility to Pettigrew. James and Lily agreed to it, believing that Pettigrew wouldn't be on Voldemort's radar since it wasn't as well known that he was our friend, especially after school. We had begun to drift, so many people believed we had moved on from each other."

"Thank you, Sirius. Peter. Please answer the question I had asked you." She looked at him expectantly. She was fully prepared for him to deny it. Therefore, it was a shock when he did not.

"I did. I thought they deserved it, at the time. Bitterness does strange things, doesn't it?"

"You were bitter because they abandoned you?" Silver verified.

"Yes. That, and the fact that they all thought I was useless except as a distraction, or as someone that no one will notice. The Dark Lord saw my use, and encouraged it. He never made me feel useless, unless I failed a task he had set forth for me."

"What was your primary job serving Lord Voldemort?"

"Objection," Blackthorn's voice came. "Getting off topic again."

"Overruled. Continue, Pettigrew," Fudge responded.

"Gathering Intel. He knew about my ability, thus used it to his advantage. I will admit that once I was Marked, though, it got considerably harder to keep him pleased." Peter shuddered.

"Does anyone have any questions for Mr. Pettigrew?" Silver asked, opening the floor.

"Where has he been all this time, if he was presumed dead?"

"He had been living with the Weasley family, as a pet. It is how Sirius knew where to look for Peter, actually. There was a picture in the Prophet earlier in the summer of the Weasley family in Egypt," Silver replied. Silver asked once more for questions. Blackthorn stood up, crossing the room to face Silver.

"Where has Mr. Pettigrew been since it was discovered that he was alive? Clearly he had not been with Headmaster Dumbledore, since he was not present when Minister Fudge came to collect him." The question was directed at Silver. She immediately realized what he was trying to do. He was trying to make her look as if she were withholding evidence by holding Pettigrew without knowledge of the Ministry.

"He has been in rat form since the initial story was revealed. I had him in a magically enforced cage, similar to the one he is in now. I had also informed Auror DuPont that he was in my custody." Blackthorn's eyes widened slightly, before asking someone to verify what she said. It was verified; clearly, DuPont had recorded the location of Pettigrew without alerting Fudge.

"Why did you become an animagus in the first place, Mr. Pettigrew?" His voice was calm, but calculating.

Sirius's eyes widened, realizing that their secret would be exposed. However, he was not expecting Peter's reply.

"I wanted to make myself useful to my friends, and then later to the Dark Lord. I successfully transformed towards the end of fifth year."

"How would you be useful to your friends as a rat?"

"Well, see, we were a bunch of pranksters at Hogwarts. I'd be able to tell the others when someone was coming, or to gain information to use for the pranks, such as someone's fear or who could be our next target."

"Mr. Black, how did you escape Azkaban?" Blackthorn changed tactics on a dime. He was getting upset that there were seemingly no angles in which to thrown them off guard.

"Luck, I guess. Starved myself enough to fit through the bars and barely had enough energy to swim to the shore of the mainland. Not sure why the Dementors couldn't find me, though." Sirius looked at Blackthorn, before giving a shudder from the Dementor that was above him.

"The bars are too narrow for a human head to fit through, regardless of you starving yourself. How do you explain that?" Silver caught Professor Lupin's eye in the crowd. He nodded slightly. Silver noticed that it was also aimed at Sirius, who had seen the nod but was choosing to ignore it.

"Then I guess your bars are faulty," he retorted. "You asked how I escaped; I gave you your answer. Believe me or don't, that's your choice."

Silver presented a bit more evidence, counter-arguing every angle that Blackthorn threw at her. Somehow, the fact that Sirius was an animagus and the two Marauders had become them on behalf of Lupin had managed to avoid coming to light. By the end of the afternoon, the Wizengamont broke up the court in order to make a decision, to be reconvened in an hour's time. Silver spent the time with Sirius and Peter, handing each of them a sandwich that she had packed. Peter's eyes widened; he hadn't been expecting kindness from her after their argument in the Room of Requirement.

"Why are you feeding them? They're prisoners." Blackthorn's deep voice came from next to her.

"They may be prisoners, but they're still human. They deserve to be treated as such.

"How old are you?" Blackthorn bluntly asked.

"I'll be fourteen in April. Why?"

"I was expecting a childish argument since you are a child, but you have surprised me. You could have a future in law, if you so choose it." Silver smiled at that.

"Thank you. I still haven't decided whether I would like to pursue it as a career after Hogwarts, but I'm definitely more interested in it now than I was a year ago. I still have much to learn in the world, though, so we'll see. Chocolate?" She offered him a small collection of chocolate bars.

"No, thank you. I am going to eat over there." He left her, sitting back at his own table and pulling out his lunch.

When the Wizengamont returned, the court-room was silent in anticipation. Madame Bones, the official ballot reader, intoned each of the charges:

"On the count of murdering thirteen Muggles, we find the defendant not guilty. On the count of murdering Peter Pettigrew, we find the defendant not guilty. On the count of betraying the Potters that led to their deaths, we find the defendant not guilty. On the count of evading capture and escaping a highly guarded wizarding prison, we find the defendant guilty. The defendant must serve one hundred hours of community service, and must subject his wand to monthly magic checks." Madame Bones rolled up her scroll, before pulling out a second one.

"In regards to Peter Pettigrew, we have determined that he is guilty on the charges of murdering thirteen Muggles, betraying the Potters, and evading capture for thirteen years. The sentence is thirty years in Azkaban with a magic cuff to prevent his transformations into a rat, to be commenced immediately." Madame Bones closed the scroll with a snap.

"The sentence has been read, and now the Wizengamont adjourns until the next meeting. Dismissed."

Aurors came to collect Peter and to free Sirius from his shackles. Silver gave instructions on the magic dampening cuffs to DuPont, who had come to collect Pettigrew. Pettigrew looked resigned, but relieved that he was not getting the Kiss. Once Sirius was free of his shackles, he tackle-hugged Silver in celebration. Silver was beaming as she led the way out of the courtroom, meeting up with the rest of their party.


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38**

"Silver? It's time to wake up. Mum will have breakfast ready in a few minutes." There was a rustle as Ginny moved some things around the room.

"Ugh. Morning, Ginny. Sleep well?"

"All right, I guess. Remind me why you're staying here? Not that I mind, I just find it odd, what with you having Margie and all."

"Margie's staying with her brother for the hols. His wife doesn't like me much, so I opted to stay here, since you had offered."

"Not like you?" Ginny threw her a look of disbelief. "I've never known anyone to dislike you, unless you make it that way."

"She's the gossipy type. The scandalous type, not the innocent type that Margie does with Mrs. Figg. She spites people based on their looks or their backgrounds, and I made it clear from the day I met her that I wouldn't accept that in my presence. She was a bit taken aback about that, what with me being only eleven at the time. Maybe someday we'll get along better, but it's doubtful." Silver stretched as she got up, grabbing the sweater Harry had given her the day they snuck out to Hogsmeade.

"Isn't that Harry's? I remember Mum giving it to him year before last, before she knew his size."

"Hm? Oh, yeah it is."

"Are you two...dating?" Ginny whispered the last word, like it was a cursed word.

"Not that I know. I just like the sweater, and he hasn't asked for it back yet." She paused. "If I wear it, do you think your family will think we _are_ dating?" There was a twinge of curiousity in her voice, though it was mostly feigned horror.

"Probably. Though I think only Fred and George would tease you for it."

"Eh, oh well. I'm not interested in Harry that way, just so you know. He's like a brother to me." Ginny's face lit up with relief, though she hid it well. She was still having trouble not turning beet red around Harry.

"I think you should learn to loosen up around Harry. You may fancy him, but that doesn't mean you have to be awkward."

"Who says I fancy him?" Ginny's face flushed in embarrassment.

"Your face does. Seriously, Gin. You're an awesome person, and if he can't see that, that's on him. Although I don't think he's gotten around to noticing girls yet, no matter how pretty they are." Ginny blinked in confusion, before breaking out into a confused smile.

"You think I'm pretty?"

"Sure do. Your hair looks like fire, especially when you're angry. You'll grow to be a beautiful firecracker. Just need to give it a few years."

"Sounds like you fancy me, rather than Harry," Ginny replied with a wink.

"Huh," Silver replied. There was a pause while Ginny backtracked.

"Wait. I didn't mean-"

"It's all right, Ginny. I'm not sure yet either way, though I'm starting to think I notice girls more. Only time will tell. Shall we head down to breakfast? It smells delicious." Ginny nodded, before heading downstairs behind Silver.

"It's about time you two showed up. I was starting to think we'd have to eat this all ourselves!"

"Sirius!" Silver ran to the man, hugging him happily. "I wasn't expecting to see you until tomorrow!" She shot him a large smile, before greeting both Ron and Harry with hugs from behind. They were both already seated at the table.

"Oi! What about my hug, kitten?" George cried.

"She's not a kitten, more like a vixen. Is that Harry's sweater?" Fred retorted.

"So what if it is? He's one of my best friends, and I was cold." Silver walked over to each of the twins, giving them hugs. "I do agree with Fred though. Vixen is more suited to my character than Kitten. Not that you're welcome to call me either," she continued with a smirk. Harry was blushing at her comment, while both of the twins continued to tease her mercilessly.

"Is the weather nice enough to fly, Harry?" Silver asked a few minutes later.

"Not if we bundle up. But I don't have a broom, remember?" At Silver's look of confusion, Harry continued. "I fell of my Nimbus during the last Quidditch game, when we had that really nasty storm. Cedric caught me, but still managed to get the Snitch before me. I could have sworn you knew about that."

"Oh. Normally I am on top of things, but I missed the match since I was helping Hermione with a project for Arithmacy. Although that does now make sense." At Harry's mirrored look of confusion, Silver clarified, "Malfoy had been cackling his head off about it, though I had thought it was yet another rendition of the train."

"I haven't seen you two together lately. I thought you two were friends?" Ron asked.

"What? Friends with a Malfoy? If his son is anything like Lucius, you're better off without him," Sirius said, catching onto their conversation.

"We were sort of friends. He's been avoiding me since last month, though."

"Why's that?" Ron asked nosily.

"None of your business, Ron. I understand it, though I wish he would talk to me again. He's got much to learn in the way of acceptance."

"Ha! A Malfoy learning acceptance? Don't make me laugh. Malfoys are almost as bad as Blacks in terms of blood purity and prejudice," Sirius replied.

"Unlike Blacks, though, Malfoys do sometimes overlook blood status in order to continue the blood line. Though they prefer someone with money, and they have to be at least a half-blood. You should know that, given that you probably have a family tree in your parents' house." Sirius scowled at the reminder, though didn't comment.

"Why'd you ask about flying conditions, Silver? You don't like Quidditch."

"Maybe not, but I do occasionally like to see you guys play."

"All right. You guys up for an impromptu game?" Harry asked, addressing the table. Everyone agreed. Mrs. Weasley tutted, but allowed them outside after reminding them to fly low so the neighbors wouldn't see. To Harry's surprise, Silver opted to join, along with Ginny. Sirius opted to stay on the ground, to act as referee. The teams were comprised of Ginny, Silver, and Fred versus Harry, Ron, and George. Percy had decided to stay inside to work on homework.

After nearly an hour of playing, it became clear that Silver was much better at flying and Quidditch than she led everyone to believe. She was serving as goalkeeper, and blocked nearly every shot that came towards the goal with ease. Because of this, her team ended up winning, though it was a close call.

"I guess it's good that you didn't go out for the team, Silver. Otherwise it'd be a bit harder for us to crush Slytherin for the Cup," George commented.

"Yeah. Though, why don't you go out for the team?" Fred continued.

"I don't have the patience to keep up with it. Although I understand all of the sports talk between you, it's not my cup of tea. Besides, Flint has a tendency to only recruit males for the team, since he thinks girls aren't aggressive enough. Perhaps I'll try when someone else is captain, though it's not likely."

"Well, you'd make a great Keeper with some more practice, love," Sirius added. "I should probably take off until tomorrow. I promised I'd visit Moony today."

"Oh, is he feeling better? Would I be able to join you? I haven't had tea with him since before we left for break, what with preparations for the trial and all."

"He's feeling better, as far as I know. As for visiting, I'd say not this time, love. We've got a lot to catch up on, and haven't had much time to do so." Silver nodded before giving him a hug goodbye. Harry also said farewell to his godfather before Sirius left through the Floo.

"Who's Moony again?" Ginny asked.

"That's Professor Lupin. The nickname Moony comes from their Hogwarts days." Ginny nodded in understanding, before suggesting that they all play a game of Exploding Snap. The rest of the day passed peacefully and in laughter


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39**

Silver tiptoed downstairs on Christmas morning, being careful not to wake anyone. She had another vision during the night and wasn't able to return to sleep. As she put the kettle on to make some tea, she realized that she wasn't alone. Turning to the living room, she spotted her bushy-haired friend asleep on the armchair closest to the fire. Her Arithamacy book was open on her lap. Furrowing her brow, Silver took the book from Hermione and placed it on the floor next to her. Looking around, she spotted an overnight bag as well as Hermione's large bookbag.

When the tea kettle began to whistle, Hermione awoke with a jump. Silver approached a moment later, two cups of tea in hand. She sat on the floor in front of Hermione and stared at the dwindling flames. Silver concentrated for a moment, before the flames roared back to life once more.

"Did you just do wandless magic?" Hermione asked in surprise. Her voice was rough with sleep.

"Yeah. I did. I'm cold and my wand's upstairs. Not the safest way to be, but there's enough people here to defend me if I scream."

"You think we'd be attacked here? Why?"

"Nah, I don't think we would be. At least not for a long while. I just try to be cautious whenever I can. Self-preservation and whatnot. Though I don't need magic to defend myself." Silver smiled up at her friend from the floor.

"Why are you on the floor?" Hermione asked, amused.

"Your legs make a comfy backrest." To demonstrate her point, she snuggled backwards into Hermione's legs, causing her to giggle.

"You're absolutely ridiculous."

"Maybe. Life's more fun that way." It was silent for a few minutes, aside from the crackling of the flames.

"Hermione?"

"Hmm?"

"Why are you here? I thought you'd be with your parents all break." It was quiet. Hermione seemed to be hesitating.

"Did you time jump back so that you could have a holiday both ways?"

"No. That'd be selfish and dangerous. Um. Will you promise not to tell anyone?"

"Of course. I promise."

"My parents have a hard time understanding the magical world sometimes. With all of the extra subjects I'm taking, I try telling them about it since I'm excited, and they get this glossy-eyed look until I'm finished. I've been trying to stay on neutral topics, things that they can understand, like the wonderful friends I'm making. We had brunch at Grandma's yesterday, and I had to lie about where I was going to school and what I was studying. Mum had been telling the family that I was going to an elite private school on scholarship. Which is wonderful, because it's close enough to the truth to explain my absence during the school year, but my cousins now look at me like I'm the odd one. It's been that way since I was a little girl, but it's even more noticeable now. I couldn't bear the thought of another day with them, so I came here. I would have just gone to your house, but Harry had told me you were staying here instead. I got here much earlier than I anticipated. That Knight Bus is deceptively quick."

"It can cross the entire country within a day. It's a magic bus, after all, Hermione," Silver teased with a smile. After a few minutes of the two sipping their teas, Silver spoke up.

"I understand wanting to get away from the Muggle world. They can't always comprehend the depth of our world, our culture. It's frustrating being the black sheep in a family of white."

"How do you stand it? You grew up knowing who you were, where you came from. Yet you continuously had to hide it."

"I adapted. You can as well, you know. Learn Muggle topics so you have something to discuss with your parents. If one of them likes politics, ask for them to send you a Muggle paper to keep on top of the news. Same with sports. Margie may have grown up around magic, but her interests have always been Muggle in nature. She likes talking about food and knitting, as well as classical music. She's introduced me to many Muggle musicians. The key is about balance. Share your excitement of magical things with me. I'll always listen and will probably respond in kind. In contrast, find something your family members enjoy and work with that. Not only will it help you develop social skills, but you'll learn more too."

"Wow. How can you know all of this? We're the same age."

"I sometimes feel like I've already lived a lifetime," Silver mused. "In actuality, though, it just comes from what I've learned. Whether you follow my advice is up to you." Silver got up to get some cookies from the kitchen, handing Hermione one.

"Hmm this reminds me. I need to restock my chocolate. Maybe Margie sent me some as my present. It's as good of a present as any."

"Oh, dear. I just realized that all of the presents I had gotten are still at my parents'. I would have liked to open them with you guys."

"Hmm. I have an idea, though I don't know if it'll work. Dobby?" Silver asked. She waited for a few moments, before shrugging and sitting down. As she was thinking about another way to get Hermione's presents, there was a crack and Dobby appeared.

"Hello, Miss Silver. Dobby is sorry for the delay, but since you is not at Hogwarts I had to check with Master Dumbledore for me to leave. How can Dobby help you?"

"So this is Dobby?" Hermione asked, walking up to him. Her eyes were wide and excited.

"Yes. Dobby, this is Hermione Granger. She's one of my best friends, as well as Harry's."

"Ooh it's an honor to meet you! Any friend of Harry Potter's is also a friend of Dobby's." He shook Hermione's hand vigorously.

"Oh! Wait, Miss Silver had called for Dobby. What can Dobby do for Miss Silver?"

"Would you be able to bring some of Hermione's Christmas presents here? Her parents are Muggles, so I wasn't sure if you'd be able to transport the presents without getting Hermione into trouble."

"Why would I get in trouble? I'm here, not there."

"Yes, but magic would be used in your house. The Ministry tracks locations in which the witch or wizard would be rather than the caster themselves. Truthfully, though, since you're here and your parents aren't home, it may not be an issue." Silver looked thoughtful.

"Tell Dobby which presents to get, and Dobby will get them. Dobby cannot read, though, so it'll have to be by description."

"You can't read? Why ever not?"

"Most house-elves are not taught how to read or write, unless their job requires it. Since Dobby was a miscellaneous chores elf while he was employed by his former masters, he did not need to learn. I've been trying to convince him to let me teach him, but he doesn't want to learn at present."

"No, no. Dobby doesn't need to learn how to read or write to do Dobby's job. Miss Silver is kind to offer, though." Dobby beamed at her with one of his brightest smiles. After Hermione gave descriptions of each of the presents she wanted Dobby to bring over, he disapparated with a small pop.

"Didn't he apparate into here with a crack before?" Hermione asked, curiously.

"Yep. Elves can control how loud or soft they apparate. So can particularly skilled wizards or witches, though that takes a bit more time to master."

"Is elf magic different than ours, then?"

"Yep. I haven't had the chance to study it extensively, but it'd be interesting to learn." There was another pop as Dobby returned, bag in hand.

"Dobby brought cat, as well. He latched onto me and wouldn't let go after Dobby had grabbed the presents. Here you go, Miss Hermione." Dobby placed the bag of presents onto the floor, while Crookshanks pounced onto Silver, who had resumed sitting on the ground.

"Thank you, Dobby. Oh, wait just a moment, if you would." Silver ran up the stairs, as silently as she could. She had learned the creaks and squeaks of the staircase on her first night at the Burrow, so was able to make it up and down the stairs with minimal noise.

"This is for you. Can you give the other box to Melby, please? I hadn't had a chance to give it to either of you before break had started. Oh, and be sure to reassure her that her gift is not the same as yours."

"Can Dobby open this now?"

"Of course. It is Christmas, after all. Just try to keep your excitement to a minimum. The majority of the household is still asleep." Dobby nodded before opening the present happily. There were two pairs of mismatched socks folded neatly inside the box, each with a different design on them: navy blue with golden teapots, red with black dogs, green with silver stripes, and yellow with purple stars. Dobby's eyes widened before he dropped the package and hugged Silver tightly. When he pulled away, Silver was beaming.

"Don't forget to check under the socks. I got you a couple of other things, too, you know."

"Miss Silver is too kind," Dobby replied, before pulling the socks out and looking underneath. There was a purple and yellow scarf, which wrapped the last present: a red coin purse with Dobby's name on it in gold.

"I know you can't read it, but the word on the coin purse is your name. I thought you could hold your earnings in there, to save up for something if you so choose. That way you won't need to spend your paycheck every week." Dobby's eyes were a bit misty as he smiled up at her. Thanking her profusely, he hugged her one last time before popping out of the Burrow.


	40. Chapter 40

**Chapter 40**

Silver turned to the clock on the mantle, stroking Crookshanks. It was half past seven, but both girls were still wide awake. Hermione was currently immersed in a book that Silver had let her borrow; she hadn't been reading much other than school books since the beginning of the year. Silver was stroking Crookshanks while she drew in her sketchbook. Every once in a while, she'd find herself staring blankly into the fire.

"Hey Hermione?" Silver asked quietly.

"Hmm?" Hermione murmured in acknowledgment.

"Do you want to surprise Mrs. Weasley by making breakfast for everyone? I'm actually a bit surprised she's not up yet, though I guess everyone deserves a chance to sleep in on Christmas."

"I guess we're the odd ones, then. I've never really made breakfast before. I wouldn't want to burn anything."

"That's all right, I can teach you a bit if you'd like. Or you can just hand me stuff. I'm sure you can handle measuring if need be, yeah?" At Hermione's nod, Silver placed her sketchbook onto the table and moved around Crookshanks towards the kitchen.

After a few minutes of looking around, Silver began her work, instructing Hermione as needed. When Mrs. Weasley came downstairs a little while later, she stood in shock at the foot of the stairs. Her face lit up in a wide smile when she saw both the girls giggling happily. Silver was in the process of making everything on the stove, while Hermione was chopping up fruit.

"What's going on here?" Mrs. Weasley asked kindly.

"Mum!" Silver exclaimed. She managed not to drop the spatula she was holding as she spun around to face Mrs. Weasley. After realizing what she had said, she flushed a deep crimson.

"Sorry. Mrs. Weasley. We thought we'd surprise you by making breakfast for everyone." Silver smiled, before flipping over a few pancakes on the stove. After eyeing the meats and the eggs, she strode over to Mrs. Weasley, giving her a hug in greeting.

"Oh. That's very sweet of you dear, but it was hardly necessary."

"It's no big deal. We were both up anyways, I thought it'd be a nice gesture with the spirit of Christmas and whatnot."

"I wasn't aware Hermione was here. Is everything all right?"

"Oh, yes. I just decided to come over for Christmas Day. I hope that's all right," Hermione responded, sounding nervous.

"Yes, yes, it's all right, dear. You're always welcome," Mrs. Weasley responded, pulling her into a tight hug.

"Oh, Mrs. Weasley. I think the chickens need to be tended to. I wasn't sure what to do, but there was a ruckus of clucking a few minutes ago."

"Ah, that'd be them getting restless. Normally I feed them an hour ago. Oh well, I'll go do that now. Everything's all right in here?"

"Yes. Um, would you be able to cast a warming charm on the food though? There's only so much that can fit into your oven, and I don't want the meat to dry out overmuch."

"Of course, dear. I'll be back in a few minutes. Mind the eggs, dear, they're getting a bit crispy."

Silver immediately responded, making sure nothing burned. She felt the charm on the table to her left, and began placing food there. Hermione began setting the table, at a loss of anything else to do.

Once Mrs. Weasley returned, she started the dishes that Silver had already emptied with a flick of her wand.

"Would you be able to teach me the domestic spells you know, Mu-Mrs. Weasley? It's an aspect of magic I haven't really delved into."

"I can, though you'll have to wait until you're at Hogwarts to practice them. Let's see here," Mrs. Weasley answered, searching her small bookshelf for a particular book. "This book here is good for the basics. You may borrow it if you'd like; I know all of the spells, and you be sure to ask me if you have any questions." She placed the book on top of Silver's sketchbook before returning to the kitchen.

"I'll start rousing the house-hold. We don't want to the food to get cold, even with the charms. And, Silver?"

"Yes?"

"You can call me Mum if you'd like." Mrs. Weasley smiled at her before walking up the stairs.

"Why do you want to call her Mum?" Hermione asked curiously.

"It's natural for me, I suppose. I've had a few different foster moms, but Mrs. Weasley makes me feel at home here. There's a lot of love and support. I tried calling Margie Mum once too, a few months after I had settled into her place. She flatly refused to let me call her that, though. I think it's because she may have had a child before me, though I don't know for certain." Silver handed Hermione the food to be placed on the table, just as Ginny came down the stairs.

"Hermione? What are you doing here?"

"I have a feeling that's going to be everyone's favorite question today. I wanted to come, so here I am. Good morning, Ginny."

"Good morning, to both of you," Ginny said, snatching a piece of bacon from Silver's hand.

"Hey, I was about to eat that!"

"I know, that's why I took it," Ginny replied cheekily. She gave her friend a hug before sitting down. Mrs. Weasley flitted in a few moments later, muttering about how difficult it was to get boys up.

The remaining Weasleys, and Harry, wandered down the stairs within the next few minutes. Soon, everyone was seated and eating breakfast.

"Breakfast's good, Mum. Thanks," Ron said, taking another few pancakes.

"I actually didn't make breakfast this morning. Silver and Hermione did."

"Silver did the actual cooking. I just helped," Hermione added.

"Who cares who made it? It's delicious!" George cried.

"Thank you, George. I'm glad you like it," Silver replied, smiling.

"Hm, the post's a bit late today," Mrs. Weasley commented. "I know it's Christmas day, but they at least usually have a paper or something."

"There it is," Percy stated, as a few owls came through the window.

"Oh, Silver, there's something here for you." Mr. Weasley handed her a package and an envelope, both with different handwriting on them.

"Thank you," Silver replied, before heading up the stairs. Harry spotted this, and followed her up. When he got to the room she was sharing with Ginny, he spotted her on her bed. She was staring at both of the items Mr. Weasley had handed her, seeming to decide which to open first.

"Hey Silver," Harry greeted. Silver jumped, causing him to chuckle slightly.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. Everything all right?"

"I don't know, yet. The package is from someone I haven't spoken to in a long time, and the letter is from my father."

"Your father? Why would he be writing you?"

"I'm not entirely sure. I haven't gotten a letter from him since I started Hogwarts, and even then it had only been an envelope filled with money and a note."

"Do you want me to leave?"

"No. Can you grab Hermione, though? I want her here, too. Ron can come if he wants, just don't openly invite him. If he follows, no big deal."

"All right. I'll be right back," Harry replied, leaving the room. He returned a few minutes later, Hermione and Ron behind him. Silver had made room for them on the bed, though Ron opted to sit on Ginny's instead.

"Harry didn't tell us why you wanted us here, Silver. Is everything all right?" Ginny came into the room just as she asked. She balked a bit at the group of them there.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. I just wanted to grab another jumper. I can come back."

"No, Ginny. You can stay if you'd like. I got a present from Mary, that girl I told you about last year. As well as a letter from my father." Ginny's eyes widened, before she closed the door and settled in next to Ron.

They all looked at Silver expectantly, before she made a decision and opened the letter first. As she read it, her face changed from curious to angry to stoic. When she finished, her voice was flat.

"Father informed me that I have no legal attachment to his family any longer, therefore I have no access to the funds that were put aside for me when I turned seventeen. However, there is another letter among his that states that as I am the sole living heir to the Selwyn line, whatever money or assets that remain of it will go to me when I come of age."

"Well that's a bit of good news mixed with the bad. Why did that make you angry, though?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, because Father also informed me that if I were to join the Dark Lord's cause with him, he'd forgive me of my indiscretions. Those being allowing Black to walk free and entrapping one of his fellow Death Eaters." Silver scowled. "He also asked if I could send him any information that you, Harry, would have on the current whereabouts of his Master. Presumptuous bastard."

"Your dad was a Death Eater?" Harry asked in horror.

" _Is_ a Death Eater. He never believed that Voldemort died, yet didn't do the work to try to find him. If he's asking for whereabouts through me, he must be desperately clinging to the hope that his master will return. It also indicates that he fully succumbed to the madness that threatened to overtake him with my mother's death." It was quiet for a few minutes, before Ginny gestured to the package in question.

"Oh, right. The package." Silver opened it, noticing that it had gone through Muggle post first before it had been brought to her. Once she peeled back the wrappings, a silver box was revealed. Curiously, yet cautiously, Silver lifted the lid.

Inside was a hand-knitted scarf, which was wrapped around two picture frames. In the first picture, Silver recognized herself at eight years old, her arm around another girl, who looked to be fifteen. Both girls were smiling for the camera, with Silver holding her hand up with two fingers, the sign of peace. The picture was stationary, but it brought a big smile to Silver's face. She handed the picture to Ginny, before picking up the second picture. In it, there was a couple standing on the beach. The girl on the left was a twenty-year old Mary, with her long hair done in pretty braids. The girl on the right was shorter than Mary, and a bit heavier. She had a heart-shaped face and an incredibly kind smile. They were standing close together, with their arms around each other. On the bottom of the picture, the location was stated, as well as the date. _Fiji, 1993_.

Silver handed the second picture to Ginny as well, for she had passed the first one around the room. Silver then spotted a sparkly card at the bottom of the box. Pulling it out, she saw that it was addressed to her in Mary's curvy handwriting.

 _Dearest Silver,_

 _I am incredibly happy that I was able to find you! I've been wanting to contact you for a few years now, but the government wouldn't release your location to me since I wasn't family Imagine my surprise when I tried looking you up in the phone book when I was visiting Janet's parents last month. I gave the number a ring and talked to your foster mom. She's so kind, I'm glad you got placed with her. When I wanted to send you these presents, she was more than happy to provide an address._

 _As I'm sure you've figured out, I sent you pictures. The one of us as children was difficult to get ahold of, as I had to track down Tommy Merlin. Do you remember him? Greedy little bugger. He grew up decently, so far at least. He was adopted just before he aged out. I ran into him at the grocery store, of all places. Can you imagine?_

 _Anywho, I'm getting off track. The second picture is of me and my girlfriend, Jenny. I met her while I was in group therapy, and we've fallen in love. The relationship is still pretty new, but she makes me happy. Her family got us a couple tickets to Fiji, where we had a blast._

 _I'm currently living in Manchester, so if you're ever in the area, give me a call! I'd love to catch up with you over coffee or lunch or something._

 _Merry Christmas, Silver. Thank you for all you did for me back then._

 _Lots of love,_

 _Mary_

Silver was smiling ear to ear while she read the letter, and vowed to give Mary a call the next time she was home, for her old friend had included both a telephone number and an address.

"Good news, I take it?" Ginny commented.

"Oh, the best. Mary's doing well. The girl she's with is her girlfriend, Jenny. She wants to keep in touch with me, now that she's found me. Apparently Margie knew about this. Probably kept me in the dark so that it'd be a bigger surprise."

"Sorry did you say 'girlfriend?'" Ron asked, astonished.

"Yeah, I did. People can like someone of the same sex, you know. I'm happy for her." Silver placed the items back into the box, fingering the scarf happily. It was a mixture of blues and purples, which were her favorite colors.

"Come on, we should head back downstairs. I wonder if Sirius and Professor Lupin are here yet." Silver led the way out of the room, with her friends following.


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41**

The rest of the holidays flew by, and Silver almost reluctantly returned to school with her friends. With Sirius's trial over and done with, the only thing Silver had to handle was her normal course-work. As the weeks turned into months, Silver noticed Hermione was getting ever more frantic with keeping up her work. One day while they were studying together, she suggested once more that Hermione drop Divination. Hermione had gotten into an argument with Lavender Brown during the last lesson, and it was clear that she was still frustrated with the subject.

One day, Hermione was nowhere to be seen during throughout all of the lessons. Silver took diligent notes, more so than usual, to cover her friend's absence. After dinner, she intercepted Neville on his way out the door.

"Hey, Neville."

"Hi, Silver. What's up? You've got your thinking face on," Neville replied cheerfully.

"Do I? That's strange, I wasn't thinking anything in particular. Can you do me a favor and hand these to Hermione when you go up? I have a feeling she may have fallen asleep studying or something since I haven't seen her all day."

"Sure thing. Oh, I have something for you." Neville handed her a small package. "Gran sent a few extra cookies. I thought you'd like them."

"That's sweet of you, Neville. Thank you. I've got to go, Luna's waiting. I'll see you later!" Silver hugged her friend goodbye before running up the stairs, where Luna was waiting patiently. Neville shook his head in amusement before heading to the common room.

"Hermione? Hermione!" Neville said, shaking Hermione's shoulder gently. She awoke with a start.

"Neville? Oh no, what time is it? I'm late, I'm late!"

"Hermione, calm down. You've been working yourself too hard, which is probably why you slept through your lessons today. Silver gave me notes for you."

"I-I missed lessons? Oh, the Professors must think I'm awful. I've never missed a class before." She looked completely distraught as she said this.

"The Professors love you, Hermione. They're not going to dock points or put you in detention for missing one day, especially if you're going to make up the work," Ron replied as he came into the room.

"Yeah, plus Silver takes really good notes. I borrowed hers for Divination, and I had no problems understanding it," Harry added.

"All right, then. I'll take those notes, Neville. Thank you." She hugged all three boys before going to her dorm. Lavender gave her a glare as she passed, though Hermione ignored it.

As Hermione looked over the notes, she found a folded piece of parchment. Opening it revealed a drawing of her asleep at the desk she just left. There were piles and piles of books in the drawing, and small versions of her friends were outside of the wall of books. Drawing Hermione had ink splotches over her hands and her hair was incredibly frizzy. As Hermione watched, she saw the drawing version of herself wake up and start working once more. Her friends kept trying to reach the girl, but they could never get close enough. The book stacks got bigger as Hermione watched, pushing the friends farther and farther off the page, until all they were all gone. The sequence restarted, and Hermione's eyes got a bit misty before she folded the page over again. On the back of it, she saw a note.

"Schoolwork will always be important to you. But will you let it consume you? You need to find healthy balance. Treat the upcoming Spring as a fresh start, and I will help in any way that I can."

Hermione placed the parchment on her night stand, before looking over her school books and picking up a novel instead. She was re-determined to find balance in her life, starting with how she unwinds.

The rest of the school year passed without incident, until a week before the end of term. When Silver overheard Professor Snape letting slip Professor Lupin's secret, she immediately grabbed Harry and brought him to Lupin's office.

"They can't sack you! You're the best teacher we've ever had!" Harry protested.

"Why would Professor Snape do that, anyways? I mean, I know he wants the Defense Against the Dark Arts position, but that's no reason to compromise one of your colleagues safety."

"He hasn't liked me since our Hogwarts days. None of us got on with him, except Lily in the beginning. He's been waiting for an excuse all year to let it slip."

"Why now, though? It's not like you had made him lose out on a chance for-" Silver broke off. "Did you compromise his entry into the Potioneering Exhibition somehow?" Lupin's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"How did you know about that? He didn't share it with students, as far as I know. The only reason I know about it is because he had been experimenting with the Wolfsbane formula and asked me to be his test subject. I refused, since that would have meant potential transformations without keeping my mind, which I never want to experience again."

"So he outed your secret out of spite?" Silver scoffed.

"It was bound to come out sooner or later. I'm actually surprised it lasted this long. With your intelligence, I was sure you'd tell your friends or they'd figure it out."

"I don't give up secrets that aren't mine to be shared," Silver replied.

"I know. I'll be sure to write to both of you, once I've found a place to stay."

"Is Sirius living at Black Manor now? Or has he managed to find a place of his own?" Again Lupin's eyes widened in surprise, before he chuckled.

"I keep forgetting how much you always seem to know. He's found an apartment in Wales, though he's mentioned wanting to clean the manor up and selling it. It'd take a lot of work, though, as it's been abandoned for years."

"Wouldn't there be a house-elf though? A family as prestigious as the Blacks were bound to have one. Oh, but I suppose if they'd been left alone, they'd go a bit mad."

"Yes, I believe you'd be right. I'll have to ask him when I see him." There was a pecking at the window, where an owl was tapping on the glass. Harry went to open it, and to his surprise, the owl landed next to him rather than Lupin. Seeing that the note was addressed to him, he removed it from the bird, who took off and left the room.

"Oh. Dumbledore wants to see me. I guess I'll see you later, then?" Harry left, leaving the two alone.

"If that's about the blood wards-" Silver cut off, shaking her head.

"Blood wards?" Lupin asked curiously.

"Well, yeah. His Aunt is the only living member of his family, at least by blood. As long as he can call the place home, he theoretically can't be found without the address being revealed to someone. I tried finding his house while I was walking down Pivet Drive, but I couldn't find it since I didn't have an actual house number. I did notice the numbers skipped Number 4, though. My brain started getting foggy the longer I thought about the address, before I moved forward towards the house that I knew was there. Once I made it to the front walk, the house revealed itself without issues. It's old magic, though it's unreliable in my opinion. I think it's the same sort of magic Lily had used that protected Harry when they were attacked, though of a different nature."

"Are you sure you're only fourteen? You've figured out things far more in advance than anyone else I've ever known, and I know Albus Dumbledore."

"Dumbledore isn't perfect. After all, he's allowed Harry to stay in an abusive household just because of some old magic that's supposed to protect him."

"Abusive home? What are you talking about? I thought he just didn't get on with them."

"The Dursleys abhor anything abnormal, from what Harry tells me. He clings to love like you cling to chocolate-" Silver ignored Lupin's protest to the statement, smiling before continuing, "and it's quite amazing that he hadn't ended up completely messed up. I know abuse when I see it, mostly because I myself was there growing up. Luckily, I never stayed long at the worst ones since my magic always flared up and I had to leave. Harry doesn't think it's a big deal since he's much happier now, but it's part of the reason he dreads the summer holiday so much." Silver stopped, as her eyes widened slightly in horror.

"Dang it. That's technically not my secret to tell, but I wanted someone to understand what he deals with. Umm." Silver paused, collecting her thoughts.

"Is there any way you could pass off that information as just wanting to provide Harry with a stable home? It'd be awesome if he could live with Sirius, and since he's not a small child anymore it wouldn't be as daunting as it once was. Sirius is, after all, still Harry's godfather so it'd be well within his legal rights to have Harry live with him. I swear, if Headmaster Dumbledore tries to convince Harry otherwise, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind on child safety."

"All right. I'll be careful about the phrasing. Thank you for telling me. It's entirely possible that he doesn't realize that it's not supposed to be that way. I've got to go now. I promised Padfoot I'd help him unpack." Lupin came up to Silver, giving her a brief hug. Silver could have sworn she heard him sniffing her, but shrugged it off.

They parted ways, and the last remaining week passed without incident. The train ride home found Silver in an over-packed compartment, laughing and joking with her friends. As they were pulling up to the station, Silver got a flash of a large Quidditch pitch decked out in red and green. Smiling, she led the way onto the platform, ready for the summer to begin.


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter 42**

"He WHAT?" Silver exclaimed. She was on the telephone with Sirius.

"Professor Dumbledore managed to convince Harry to spend a few weeks at the Muggles' place before he comes here. He also informed the Ministry of my intent to house Harry. I may be in the clear for the crimes I was committed, but they need to check that I'm mentally fit to raise a teenager. That means that I need to go through a bunch of paperwork and weekly check ins with a therapist."

"Well, that makes a warped kind of sense. Azkaban can turn the sanest people crazy. I've got to go. I'm going to pay a visit to Harry."

"Wait. You are able to get there without assistance?"

"He only lives a few blocks from me, Sirius. Hang on a moment, I've got an idea. I'll be right back, don't hang up." Silver set the receiver down onto the table and went to the living room. Margie was sitting in a recliner knitting up a storm.

"Hey Margie?"

"Hm? Oh how can I help you, Silver?"

"Um. Would it be possible for a friend to stay here for a couple of weeks?"

"A couple of weeks? Whatever for? And who would it be?"

"Harry. I don't want to burden the Weasley's with him quite yet, but he can't quite move in with Sirius, since he needs to be cleared by the Ministry-"

"Hold on. Sirius as in the Sirius you helped over Christmas break?"

"Yes. The Ministry's giving him a hard time since he had spent some time in Azkaban. I suppose it's protocol, but it's highly inconvenient since they hadn't said anything when he applied for guardianship in April."

"So you want us to house Harry for a couple of weeks until when?"

"Until the Weasleys invite him or us, not sure which yet, to stay. I know that Ron had asked him at the beginning of summer to stay, but since the Weasleys are a bit tight on money I thought it'd be nice to not have an extra mouth to feed for a little bit. I'm sure he wouldn't mind pitching in for the chores and whatnot."

"Hmm. And why would he have needed to be at the Durselys in the first place, if the Weasleys had offered him a place to stay?"

"Dumbledore told him to."

"As in your headmaster? I wouldn't want us to contradict his orders, then."

"But no headmaster should have that much control over a student. He's got a way of convincing others to do his will, and-" Silver stopped, before taking a breath. "I'd really like it if Harry could stay here. I'll make up the guest bedroom for him." It was silent exept for the clacking of Margie's knitting needles.

"All right. But you'll be on cooking duty for the time he is here. Let me know the schedule you come up with, all right?"

"Thank you, Margie!" Silver hugged her lopsidedly, before stating, "Is it all right if I get him in about an hour? Then we can go grocery shopping together. Oh. Is money an issue?"

"No, dear. I've got enough for you to get groceries if you'd like. Just be careful not to overspend it. Would you like me to come with you? This'll be your first trip without me."

"I think I'll be fine. Thanks again, Margie. I can't wait for you to meet Harry! I hope you'll get on." She left the room and went back to the phone.

"Sirius?"

"Yeah, love?"

"I'm going to get Harry and bring him here. Margie gave permission for him to stay for a couple weeks, so if you get the paperwork squared away by then I'll bring him to you. Fair warning, though. We've got no Floo connected to here, so if you'd like to visit, you'll have to come the Muggle way."

"Fair enough. Are we still on for next week?"

"Definitely. You'll need all the help you can get. Hopefully Harry will be up for some elbow grease."

"All right, love. I've got to go. I hope everything goes well."

"Same to you. Say hi to Lupin for me, all right?" There was silence for a moment, before a bright laugh came from the phone.

"I should have known you'd guess that he's staying here. I'll send him your greetings once he comes home. I've got to go job hunting, so I'll see you next week. Write me if you'd like."

"All right, bye Sirius." Silver hung up the phone, before setting off for the guest bedroom to get it ready for Harry.

About an hour later, Silver rang the bell for Number Four, Pivet Drive. She was wearing a nice skirt and blouse, in light blue. Her hair was pulled back with a headband and she was carrying a small package.

"Who are you?" A sharp female voice sounded. The door was open only a sliver, enough for Silver to see short blond hair and a dull blue eye. The look on the woman's face was sour, though not nearly as unfriendly as Silver anticipated.

"Hello. My name is Silver Sullivan. Is Harry home?"

"There is no one by that name here." The woman went to close the door, but Silver stopped it with her foot.

"You are Petunia Dursley, correct?" At her hesitant nod, Silver continued. "I truly am sorry that you are expected to house Harry every summer, when it's incredibly inconvenient. I'm one of Harry's friends, and I was hoping that he'd be able to stay with me for a few weeks. May I please come in? I think Ms. Barnaby believes that you're being rather rude by continually shutting the door onto my foot." At this, Petunia gasped, pulling the door open wider and peering out across the street. Sure enough, there was a hawk-eyed middle aged woman eyeing the two of them curiously. Petunia pulled Silver in before waving to Ms. Barnaby with a smile.

"Why do you want to take him?" Petunia led the way into the kitchen, where an incredibly large boy around Silver's own age was staring at a television screen. He looked unhappy, but perked up when he saw that there was someone new in the house.

"Take who? And why? Who are you?" Silver assessed the large boy critically, before replying.

"I was asking your mother if I could bring Harry to stay with me for a few weeks. Is he here?"

"He's outside, cutting the grass and pulling weeds," Petunia responded.

"What's that?" the boy asked, pointing to the package in Silver's hand. Petunia eyed it as well, though a bit more cautiously than her son.

"This is for you, Mrs. Dursley. Thank you for allowing me into your home. I apologize that I hadn't called first, but I thought it'd be best to visit so that I could meet you. You have a lovely home, by the way. I especially adore the way everything is arranged so beautifully."

"Oh, thank you. You wouldn't believe how long it takes to arrange everything just the way it's supposed to be," Petunia said, taking the package.

"Who are you, though?" the boy, whom Silver had already deduced was Dudley, asked once more.

"My name is Silver. You're Dudley, right?"

"Yeah. Why do you care about him? I'm far more interesting."

"Doubtful. He's one of my best friends, so it's only natural I should care about him."

"Dudley, go to your room, please."

"What? Why?"

"Because I told you to. Please go, Diddykins." He flushed in embarrassment at the nickname, before waddling out of the kitchen. Silver heard him go into the hallway, but stop at the stairs.

"You realize he hasn't gone upstairs, yet?"

"Yes. Dudley! Go!" There was some grumbling from the hallway before they both heard him going up the stairs.

"I was told that Potter was to stay here for a couple weeks during the summer."

"Because of the blood wards. Yeah, that's right."

"So you know about that, do you? I suspect that he doesn't." She turned her nose towards the door, where Silver could now see Harry using a lawn mower across the lawn.

"Pretty sure he doesn't, unless Dumbledore told him during their meeting a week ago. I'm surprised you're actually talking about this, if I'm honest. From what Harry told me, you and your husband shun our kind any chance you get."

"Yes, well, Vernon will want to know why he left, at least a bit. Does Dumbledore know you want to take him away?"

"No. I don't much like the Headmaster and his methods. He believes Harry will be safe here, yet since both you and your husband treat him unkindly-" At this, Petunia began to protest.

"No, listen to me. You give him the bare minimum, which is all well and good. He's survived here. But it's not healthy. Has he told you about his godfather?" Petunia sniffed disdainfully.

"He doesn't have a godfather. Why else would he have been forced upon us?"

"Because Sirius had been locked up for a crime he did not commit. He was cleared around Christmastime, but the Ministry is being difficult with the paperwork for his guardianship of Harry."

"Hmph. Well the sooner Potter is out of our hair the better. Just don't expect me to make excuses as to why he isn't here."

"Of course, I wouldn't expect you to lie. Why are you being somewhat kind to me, if you don't mind my asking? I'm no one of importance, and you seem like the type to be kind to those you wish to impress." Petunia eyed her shrewly before opening the package. Inside was a box of good-quality assorted truffles. Her eyes widened slightly, but she covered it with a haughty look.

"I don't eat chocolate."

"Not even the high quality stuff?"

"I haven't since I was last given a box of these. One of-" She cut off before eyeing Silver curiously. "You remind me of someone I knew when I was younger. That's why I speak to you, though you clearly aren't as subtle as she was. Lemonade?"

"Oh. Yes, please, if it's not too much trouble." Petunia poured her a glass and placed it on the counter in front of her. Dudley wandered back down a little while later.

"So do you like Batman?" Dudley asked, as Petunia left to inspect Harry's work.

"Only a bit. I'm more a fan of the comics than the animated series that just started. I'm guessing you do?"

"Uh huh. He gets to beat people up, without special powers or anything. Just money and gadgets."

"Makes sense that you'd like him then. I like Wonder Woman more, though. Female empowerment and all that."

"Yuck. Female superheroes are over-rated. Guys can kick butt so much better than girls can."

"Tell that to the boys who used to tease me," Silver commented. Dudley stared at her in awe.

"Well I think runts and such deserve to be pounded." Silver glared at him slightly, before smirking.

"Is that why you're so big? Or is that just a love of food?"

"I love food. Though the school nurse has me on a strict diet so that I lose weight. I hate it."

"If you like fighting, perhaps you should look into boxing or wrestling. It'll help you get into shape, too, so you're not winded going up stairs or walking around. It's just a suggestion."

"I thought you'd be a goody-two shoes, with how Harry is. Or incredibly shy or something. But you're pretty cool." Dudley looked proud of himself at the compliment, thinking that she'd respond in kind.

"You've used my best friend as a punching bag and bullied him along with your friends. You don't deserve civil conversation with me. Yet, here we are. Just know that if you mess with him again, I'll have you on your ass faster than you can say 'you were right, Silver.'"

"Silver? What the hell are you doing here?" Harry asked, astonished. He was hit upon the head with Petunia's gloves for his language.

"I'm here to invite you to my place for a few weeks. Margie already said yes, so I'm just waiting for you to come, if you'd like."

"Of course I want to go! But-" Harry cut off, before eyeing his Aunt and cousin warily.

"I'll be going with Silver," Harry informed his Aunt.

"All right. Clean up first. What will the neighbors think if you leave looking like that?" He went up the stairs to his room. After a minute, Silver joined him.

"You worried that Dumbledore will be mad if you leave?" Silver asked quietly.

"Yeah. He told me I had to stay here for a couple of weeks, for my safety. Why did you come?"

"You needed to leave. If Dumbledore has an issue with you staying with me, I'll handle it."

"Why are you so against me staying here, anyways? It's not that bad, most of the time."

"Because life sucks for you here. I'm guessing with Dudley's new diet plan, they've been starving you more than usual, yeah?"

"How did you know about that?"

"He told me. And since you get less than they do, I made the connection. Go and shower. I'll start packing for you, if that's all right?"

"Yeah, that's fine. I'll be back in a bit." Harry left with a change of clothes. Silver began gathering his scattered things, folding and organizing as she placed things into his trunk. She worked at a steady pace, so that by the time Harry returned, with his hair damp and smelling like lavender, she was nearly finished.

"Wow, you work quickly. Thanks."

"No problem. Did I miss anything?"

"No, I think you've gotten it all. Let me just grab my toothbrush." Harry left the room again, placing the toothbrush into the trunk and closing it with a snap.

"I've got Hedwig's cage. Where's your broomstick?"

"It's in the downstairs closet. I'll have to ask Aunt Petunia to unlock it." Silver nodded before heading down the stairs, cage in hand. She placed it onto the floor of the hallway, before heading back to the kitchen.

"You leaving, then?" Dudley asked as she approached. Harry raised an eyebrow at his curiousity, before realizing that the question was directed at Silver instead of him. Shrugging, he went to find his aunt to have the cupboard unlocked.

"Yes. Oh, is that the episode where Batman and Robin seize the Joker in a power plant?"

"Uh huh. They're doing an entire marathon of the episodes that have aired so far. I've seen this one before though, so it's kind of boring."

"Yeah, but then you can catch details you missed the first time around. I hope you summer goes all right, Dudley. Try not to beat up too many kids, ok?"

"But it's fun!" He protested.

"Yeah, but it's not nice. See you around...Diddykins." Silver smirked before leaving with Harry, who had gotten the rest of his stuff from the cupboard.

As they were walking towards Silver's house, Harry spoke up.

"What's going on with you and Dudley? That was strange."

"Not sure, to be honest. He was nice, in a way. Maybe I'm the first girl he's spoken to in a while. Didn't you mention he's going to Smeltings?" After Harry nodded in affirmation, Silver continued. "It's an all-boys school. Besides, he seemed interested enough in our topic of conversation."

"What would you two have to talk about?" Harry asked, perplexed.

"Batman, if you must know." At Harry's blank look, she sighed. "For someone who lives with Muggles, you don't know much about their pop-culture. Batman is from a comic book series."

"Oh, ok. I didn't know you liked comics."

"Yeah, I do. I like seeing the different styles more than anything. I'm not a collector or anything, though. I just pick one up here and there. Vincent is the one who introduced them to me."

"Who is Vincent?"

"Vincent Crabbe. He's a collector, though he prefers Wizarding comics over the Muggle ones. Can you imagine the fit that his parents would throw if they caught him with a Muggle comic book?"

"Since when are you friendly with Crabbe?" Harry bunched his eyebrows together in confusion.

"Since first year. He and Gregory Goyle don't talk much to other people, but I got each of them to open up to me mid-way through the year. I haven't spoken to either of them much since Draco stopped talking to me, though. Hm, I should write to them sometime this summer."

"Why _did_ Malfoy stop talking to you? It seemed like you to got on, after first year."

"Hmph. Well, I guess there's no harm in telling you. He confessed to having feelings for me, which I do not return." Harry stopped abruptly, his mouth hanging open.

" _Malfoy?_ He can't feel anything except loathing and prejudice." Silver continued walking; Harry followed after a moment.

"There's a part of your problem. Draco's just as human as you are. Sure, he's got some bigoted views, but he's capable of having feelings. He just hides them better, because that is what is expected of him. Plus, he has fun trying to get a rise out of you, which is why you two are always butting heads." It was quiet for a few minutes. They approached Silver's house, where she led him inside.

"Margie? We're home!" She was met by silence. Silver placed her keys onto the table next to the door, before wandering into the kitchen. Harry followed, looking around curiously.

"Oh, no. Margie had to go to the hospital. Mrs. Figg broke her leg tripping over one of her cats. She left money for us to buy groceries."

"That's too bad about Mrs. Figg. We're going grocery shopping?"

"Yeah. I hope that's all right. We don't have much in the way of food at the moment, and it is grocery day."

"That's fine. I haven't been grocery shopping since before Hogwarts."

"Oh really? Well this is my first time solo, so I've got to be careful not to overspend. Let me just grab the bags."

"Bags? I thought they bagged them for you."

"Oh, they do. Margie likes using cloth bags for her groceries; she swears that it keeps the food fresher for longer, and we've got a bit of a walk to get to the store." Harry nodded, and after they placed his things into the guest room, they headed to the store.


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter 43**

The next couple of weeks passed quickly. Towards the end of that time, though, Silver woke up screaming. Harry ran into the room; he was closest, and Margie was a heavy sleeper. Harry had awoken from his own nightmare a few minutes before he heard her scream.

He crossed the room to her bed, where she was shaking violently. She was awake and sitting up. Harry came to her and wrapped his arm around her.

"Sketchbook. Need it." Harry spotted it on the nightstand. He gave it to her without a word, watching fascinated as she frantically started drawing in it. As the time passed, he saw her gradually stop shaking. He kept rubbing her back soothingly, at a loss for what to do. In the dim light of the room, he caught sight of what she was drawing and his blood ran cold.

"Silver?" Harry whispered, frightened. She didn't respond, just flipped the page and continued to draw. Harry started shaking a bit as well. He was confused and frightened. Silver wordlessly leaned into his embrace, offering comfort as she herself sought her own. After a few more minutes, Silver's pencil stopped. She turned to Harry and started rubbing her hand along his back, soothing him until his shaking stopped.

"Did you dream the same thing I did?" Silver asked quietly, gesturing to her sketchbook. Harry took a shaky breath before nodding.

"How is that possible? You see the future, not me." Harry asked. His voice was incredibly unsteady.

"I've seen this dream before. Although, it was Wormtail who was doing Voldemort's bidding, not...the other man."

"Why was it different this time?"

"Well Peter's in Azkaban, while Jasper isn't. I guess he finally found his master," Silver said quietly.

"Jasper? Isn't that-"

"My father? Yeah. The other man who was there, the one with the wild eyes; I've seen him in another vision, too."

"Really? Any idea who he is?"

"No, though he's got to be a Death Eater. The person who was killed was a Muggle, based on the way he addressed Voldemort." It was silent for a few minutes.

"How is this possible?" Harry said, confused.

"I don't think that was the future if you saw it too."

"Then how did you see it? And how did I?"

"Was anything different?"

"My scar was on fire when I woke up."

"Hmm. Have you been getting visions of Voldemort or unfamiliar feelings lately?"

"No, on both counts. When Voldemort killed that man, I felt his happiness. It felt like my own." Silver's eyebrows furrowed in thought.

"I think you may have seen the vision because of your connection to Voldemort. It's how you speak Parseltongue, if I'm not mistaken."

"Dumbledore had said that I shared a connection to him through my scar. But then how did you see it? Did it really happen?"

"I'm not sure. I normally see visions of potential futures, so if it was happening in real time it's an abnormality." It was quiet once more.

"Silver?"

"Hm?"

"Can I sleep here tonight? Or is that weird?"

"You can if you'd like." Silver placed her sketchbook back onto the nightstand, before laying back down. Harry laid down as well, and after a moment hugged her to his chest and began stroking her hair. Soon enough, the two of them were asleep.

"Harry? It's time to wake up. We've got post." Silver gently shook him awake. He awoke slowly, stretching to get the knots out of his back. He looked around blearily, momentarily confused as to why he wasn't in the guest room. When he spotted Silver, she was pulling clothes out of her dresser for the day. He then saw the letter with his name on it near the windowsill. August was standing nearby, preening his feathers.

After a couple minutes of reading the letter, he broke out into a huge grin. He came up behind Silver and gave her a big hug, exclaiming happily, "I've been invited to join the Weasleys for the Quidditch World Cup!"

"Oof. Congratulations, Harry. Can you let me go, please? I can't breathe."

"Oops. Sorry," Harry replied, pulling away. He was still smiling broadly, though.

"I also got invited to attend, though Vincent had invited me. Apparently his mother fell ill and will be unable to attend. He tried to invite his other friends, but they're already going with their families."

"Aw, I was hoping you'd be able to go with us. I suppose I'd see you there, though, right?"

"Right. Come on, let's go get breakfast before the Weasleys come to collect you. Have they mentioned how they're going to arrive?"

"No. The Floo's not connected here, is it?"

"Nope. Though with Mr. Weasley working at the Ministry, it's entirely plausible that he'd be able to grant temporary access."

"Hm, yeah you're probably right. Are you going to be going to Crabbe's today?"

"No. One sec. Margie?"

"Yes, Silver?"

"My friend Vincent has invited me to go to the Quidditch World Cup. The match is in a few days, but with it being as big of an event as it is, his family will be going tomorrow. Would I be able to go?"

"Of course, dear. Will you be able to stay safe?"

"I always do. I can also see if the Weasleys wouldn't mind me staying with them tonight so I can Floo to Vincent's instead of taking the Knight Bus from here. I'm guessing that they'll be coming through the fireplace here when they come to collect Harry."

"Ugh. I always hate how much of a mess traveling through fireplace is. Soot goes everywhere."

"Haven't you lived as a Muggle, though?" Harry asked, curiously.

"Of course. I grew up in a wizarding household though, and my parents always had visitors coming in and out through the fireplace."

"Oh. That makes sense. I wonder if Sirius will be going? I wish I could invite him, but I'm sure tickets are hard to come by."

"Yeah, you're probably right. I guess we'll find out, though."

A few hours later had the two of them packed and ready to go. At one o'clock, there was a whoosh as the fireplace flared to life. Out stepped Mr. Weasley, followed by Ron, Fred, and George.

"Was it really necessary for all of you to come?" Silver asked, amused.

"But of course, dear vixen!" George called out, picking up a suitcase.

"I told you not to call me that," Silver said, annoyed. "Mr. Weasley, would it be too much trouble if I were to spend the night at your place? I'll be meeting up with my friend tomorrow, and it'd make it much easier if I could stay in a place with a working Floo network."

"Yes, yes. We're short on time; we only have half an hour until the Floo closes. Come along." After a moment of overseeing things, mainly the boys going through the Floo with Harry's things, he spotted Margie.

"Oh, hello there! I apologize for being rude. I'm Arthur Weasley."

"Margie Quigsby," she replied, holding her hand out to shake.

"Pleased to meet you. I'm sorry that we're in such a rush. It's all right with you that Silver will be staying with us tonight?"

"Yes, yes. She's always running off to help people. I'm glad she's made so many friends. Be sure to write, Silver."

"Of course, Margie. I'll see you in a few days. Love you."

"I love you too. Have fun, stay safe." Margie waved as Silver went through the Floo. "Arthur?" He turned towards her. "Please keep her safe, if you can. She can defend herself, but she is still young and a bit headstrong."

"I will do everything I can. Have a pleasant day." Mr. Weasley then left through the Floo, which clicked audibly.

"Hello?" Silver asked, stepping out of the Floo to Vincent Crabbe's house the next day. She was in an immaculate living room at half-past four o'clock, the time that Vincent had told her to arrive.

"Is you Miss Silver?" came a voice from Silver's right. When she turned, she saw a female house-elf looking at her questioningly.

"Yes, I am. Did I not come at the right time?"

"Oh, no. You're right on time. Please follow Missy. Masters Crabbe are waiting for you in the garden."

"Thank you, Missy," Silver replied, following the little house-elf. She looked surprised at the politeness, but did not comment. A moment later, they arrived outside. Silver looked around at the garden appreciatively, before catching sight of Vincent and a man who could only be his father. He had a mean looking face, and assessed her coldly upon her approach.

"Hello, Mr. Crabbe. How is your wife doing?"

"She is doing better, Miss Sullivan. Thank you for your inquiry," Mr. Crabbe replied, nodding his head formally.

"How long until the portkey, sir?"

"Just a couple of minutes, now. Time to grab ahold of it. Don't want to miss it." The portkey was in the shape of a bicycle tire. The elder Crabbe looked disgusted touching it, but didn't comment. A moment later, they all felt a tug of the navel and began spinning. Silver landed in a field with a thump; she managed to stay mostly upright, though she was crouching. Vincent wasn't so lucky; she gave him a hand up, careful to let go as soon as he was stable. The elder Crabbe was giving her a nasty look for touching his son. After the Ministry Official checked them in, Mr. Crabbe led the way to their tent.

The tent itself was unimpressive; clearly Mr. Crabbe had adhered to the Ministry's regulations regarding keeping the tent inconspicuous. On the inside, though, it was the size of a large one story house. Each of them had their own rooms, and there was also a kitchen and a bathroom. Mr. Crabbe left the two teenagers alone, in order to find his own colleagues and friends.

"Thank you for inviting me, Vince. I'm sure I was your last choice," Silver commented.

"Yeah, well. You've never been big on Quidditch. Neither am I, but Father has certain expectations to uphold. To be honest, though, you were the first person I asked," he replied, his face flushing a bit. Silver blinked in surprise, before smiling.

"Do you want to see if anyone else has arrived yet, or did you just want to hang out here?"

"Uh..." His face scrunched in thought. Silver waited patiently. "Let's go see if anyone else has arrived. I think I spotted Blaise as we were coming in, as well as Draco."

"All right, lead the way," Silver replied with a smile. Once they were outside, Silver began chattering to Vincent about anything that came to her mind. She knew he was listening, even if he didn't comment on it most of the time.

"Hiya Blaise!" Silver called as they approached his tent. He was sitting outside of it with his mother, reading a book.

"Oh, hello, Silver. I was not aware you'd be coming. And with Vincent too!" He looked at the two of them conspiratorially; clearly he was on the hunt for gossip. Pansy got a similar gleam in her eyes.

"Yes. Vincent invited me a couple of days ago. I couldn't miss the opportunity. How has your summer been so far?"

"Just fine. We've been at the villa in Italy. May I introduce my mother?" Blaise gestured to the tall, beautiful woman who came towards them. She had a radiant, though cool, smile upon her face. She eyed Silver critically, as a huntress views her prey.

"Hello. I am Ms. Zabini. You are Silver?"

"Yes, madam. You look stunning in those robes. Wherever did you get them?" Silver asked charmingly. Blaise raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Oh, this old thing? My fourth husband had it tailored specifically for me in Milan."

"It suits you magnificently. I can see where Blaise gets his looks, with such a beauty as you."

"Now you're just trying to embarrass me, Ms. Sullivan."

"Silver, please," she replied with a smile.

"Silver, then. You are entirely too charming for your own good. Perhaps you'd like to come over for tea sometime? Once this dreadful cup is complete?"

"Oh, yes. That would be lovely, Ms. Zabini. I'd love to hear more about your exquisite taste, and maybe get some advice on how to find such things? I've got a few friends who would kill for jewlery like yours."

"As you should, dear. I'm going to go lie down for a bit, Blaise. This head is giving me a migrane. Pleasure meeting you, Silver." Ms. Zabini fled into the tent.

"What are you trying to pull, Sullivan?" Blaise asked suspiciously.

"I'm not trying to pull anything. Your mother is stunning. Perhaps I just wish to get some advice from her on how to look my best."

"You look stunning without any help," Vincent blurted, before flushing deeply. Silver blinked in surprise before laughing.

"You're entirely too sweet, Vince. Thank you." She touched him gently on the arm, knowing that since they were in public she couldn't give an incredibly overt sign of affection.

"He's right, though. It's no wonder Draco fancies you." He was waiting for a reaction; clearly, Draco hadn't told him that she already knew of Draco's affections.

"Hmph. Well, if he truly wanted to stay in my good graces, he wouldn't have stopped talking to me completely. I thought we were friends first and foremost, though I suppose now we're just barely allies. Oh well. Perhaps this school year will have us talking again, though it's doubtful."

"Maybe," Blaise replied. He seemed disappointed that he couldn't get a rise out of Silver. He enjoyed seeing her fired up, almost as much as another witch.

"Well, the good news is Margie signed my permission slip for Hogsmeade since the Dementors are gone. So I'll be able to join you guys this year."

"Sounds like fun. Perhaps you'll do me the honor of being my date for the first one?"

"No, thank you. I have no intention of my first time going to be a date. Besides, I don't like you that way, Zabini, no matter how charming you can be."

"Oh you think I'm charming? Well, I had to get it from somewhere, didn't I?" He winked, causing Silver to roll her eyes.

"Come on, Vince. Let's see if we can find anyone else to talk to before we have to return to the tent."

The next morning, Silver woke up with a start, in a cold sweat. She had another nightmare, though this one she couldn't remember. Looking around nervously, she sighed in relief when no one came running. She must not have screamed this time around. Peeling her sticky shirt off, she sat there waiting for her skin to dry. It was incredibly early, just half past two. Deciding that she wouldn't be getting back to sleep, Silver dried herself off best she could before pulling on a fresh shirt and leaving the bedroom. The tent was completely quiet, with the exception of the snores coming from the elder Crabbe's room and quiet muttering coming from Vincent's. Grabbing the empty water bucket, Silver headed towards the water spigot at the other end of the campsite. As it was the middle of the night, the only people she came across were those who were drinking and partying late into the night.

After she filled the bucket, she was on her way back when she crashed into someone, just managing to not spill water all over them. Looking up to apologize, she looked into stormy grey eyes framed by blond hair. Draco Malfoy. Instead of running off like she expected, he just stared at her.

"Want to take a walk with me?" Silver asked. Draco nodded, before following her back to the tent, where she placed the bucket inside. She headed towards the edge of the campgrounds, feeling the wards rippling around her, warning her not to leave. She sighed, leading them around the edge to a small hill. Sitting down, she looked up at Draco, who was still standing. He looked affronted that she expected him to sit on the ground, even though he was only wearing lounge pants. Rolling her eyes, Silver pulled out her wand and conjured a blanket for them to sit on.

"You could get in trouble for that, you know."

"I could, but I won't. There's so much rampaging magic around here right now that I doubt that the Ministry will be able to keep track of one little conjuring spell." She stared up at the sky, looking at the stars. She leaned back onto the blanket until she was laying down. She pointed to the sky, tracing the constellations she could see.

"I see your star, Draco. Do you?"

"I've never been one for astronomy."

"That's a shame. It's fascinating what they can tell you."

"Really? What are they telling you right now?" He shifted so that he was laying on his side, facing her.

"Well, you can see Jupiter, which is incredibly rare for this time of year. It means that there's going to be great challenges upcoming, as well as change based on the positioning of the Big Bear constellation."

"Hm, that is interesting." He was staring at her rather than the sky.

"Is it? It seems like you're finding me more interesting to look at," Silver replied cautiously.

"You are stunning. It's hard for me not to look at you."

"That's kind of you to say, Draco. However, my feelings still haven't changed since November in regards to you."

"I know. I can't just turn off my feelings for you. I don't want to like you, but you have a way of getting into my head and staying there. Some of it is curiosity. You're incredibly different from anyone else I know, and I want to know more. The other part is that I'm a teenage boy, and you're beautiful as hell."

Silver chuckled at that, before responding, "I don't see my own beauty, I suppose, since I'm always surprised when anyone comments on it. I'm sorry that I don't feel romantically attracted to you, but I can't help who I am and am not attracted to."

"Like you are attracted to Millicent?" Silver blinked, before placing a look of confusion upon her face.

"I wouldn't say I'm attracted to her, per se. Intrigued since she doesn't think she's as beautiful as I think she is."

"So you two didn't kiss?" His eyes were alight with mischief.

"Doesn't matter if we have or not. We're not interested in each other."

"Hm, if you say so. I figured it out, see. The reason you're not attracted to me is because you're not attracted to _any_ boy." Silver scoffed.

"Conceited much? Just because I'm not attracted to you doesn't mean that I automatically like girls. You're not a god among men, Malfoy."

"Will you kiss me?" He asked it slowly, carefully.

"Why? Do you think I'll magically have feelings if I do?"

"No. I've wanted my first kiss to be with you since I noticed how pretty you were."

"I thought your first kiss was with Pansy?" Draco shook his head.

"She definitely tried, though I have declined. If she's still interested this year, I may try to date her a bit, even if I think she's a bit too stuck up for my tastes." Silver looked at him for a few moments. Draco just looked back at her, his eyes stormy. Without warning, Silver leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. They snogged for a moment, before Silver pulled away once more. She sighed, conflicted.

"What is it? Am I that horrible of a snogger?" Draco regarded her cautiously, a bit of vunerability present.

"No, it was nice. I just-" Silver broke off, before starting again. "I just didn't feel anything, either positive or negative. It was just pressure of lips for me."

"Do you regret it?" Draco asked quietly.

"No. I don't regret it, and I'm glad I could give you your first kiss if that's what you wanted. Perhaps you'll find the girl you need one day, but it's not me." Draco sighed, defeated.

"Yeah, I know." It was quiet for a minute. "Thank you," he finished quietly. Silver reached over and squeezed his hand, before letting go.

"I should head back before my parents wake up," Draco announced, standing.

"All right. Draco?"

"Yes?"

"Can we be friends again when school starts again?"

"Maybe." Draco waved before walking off back towards his tent.


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter 44**

"Silver!" The girl turned at Ron's voice. After Draco left, she had begun wandering around the campgrounds as people woke up. Ron had spotted her as she was heading back to her own tent. She waited for them to approach her before speaking.

"Morning, Ron. Hermione. Harry." She smiled. "Did you just arrive?"

"Sure did. We were on our way to get some water," Hermione responded, indicating the bucket she was carrying.

"That's nice. There'll be a little bit of a line at this time, so you'll just have to be patient."

"Where are you headed?" Harry asked curiously.

"I was heading back to the tent, actually. I've been wandering around for a bit and figured I should get back before Vincent comes looking."

"Vincent?" Ron asked, confused.

"You know him as Crabbe, Ron. He's the one who invited me. I thought I told you that."

"No, you didn't. I thought you were done with befriending snakes," Ron added, disgusted.

"Why would I not? They are my housemates, after all. Just because you don't like them doesn't mean I have to disassociate myself from my own house, Ronald." Silver's voice was cold as she glared at him. Ron flinched back. He shuffled his feet, flushing.

"Sorry. I forget you're a Slytherin sometimes. You're different than them."

"Yes, in some ways. Draco is the only one I had distanced myself from, and he is hardly the only Slytherin in our year aside from me."

"All right. I just-" he broke off, before adverting his eyes. Silver was still glaring at him, but it softened a bit when she saw his hesitation.

"You're just trying to look out for me?" Silver asked.

"Well, yeah. You're the exception, not the rule. I just don't want you to get hurt," Ron responded, embarrassed.

"That's sweet, Ron. But any mistakes I make in terms of judgment will be my own. I should go. I'll see you later." Silver waved to them as she walked away. She passed Fred and George, who were trying to convince a large bellied man to allow them to bet on the match, despite them being underage.

"Come on, Bagman. We've got the gold for it," George said.

"And we'll even include a free toy wand for kicks," Fred finished.

"All right, boys. What's your bet?" The man, Bagman, asked.

"That the Irish will win, but Krum will catch the Snitch," Fred replied with a smile.

"Oh ho ho. Risky bet, eh, boys?"

"I would like to make the same bet, sir," Silver said, walking up to the trio.

"Vixen!" George called, throwing his arm around her.

"Hey George," Silver replied with a smile.

"Now then, you'd like to make a bet as well, little lady?"

"Yes. Five galleons that the Irish will win and Krum will catch the Snitch. My name is Silver Sullivan, by the way. You'd be Ludo Bagman, head of Games and Sports?"

"That's me. All right, I've got your names down. Good luck!" He collected their money and walked away with a wave.

"You'll want to keep an eye on him, you know," Silver commented.

"Oh? Why's that, vixen?" George asked.

"I've heard he's been unreliable about delivering money owed in the past. Since he's charming, it's gone under the radar for a bit. If he gets into trouble with, say, goblins, he'll have more problems dealing with them than regular witches and wizards. Just be careful when he gives you the winnings. Since it's the Irish playing, there'll probably be leprechaun gold around." Silver shrugged.

"You know something we don't, Silver?" Fred asked.

"Nah. I'm just hopeful," Silver winked. "I'll see you boys later. George?"

"Yes?"

"Don't call me vixen." She walked off, ignoring the chuckle George gave in return.

The match began in a series of colors and a cacophony of sound. Silver ended up being a box lower than the Weasleys, much to Mr. Crabbe's annoyance. Neither Vincent nor Silver minded, though, as they were still able to see everything well enough. Silver got swept up in the excitement of it all, including in the introductions of each team. The Irish, as Silver predicted, had leprechauns throwing gold throughout the stands while they danced. When the Bulgarian mascots were introduced though, Silver found herself entranced by them. The Veela were dancing and working their magic. Silver shook her head, realizing that she had moved to the edge of the balcony along with Vincent. Mr. Crabbe had the sense to have plugged his ears once he spotted the Veela arriving, though he was intrigued by Silver's reaction. He had expected it from his son, but not from her. As Silver backed up from the edge, she thought about what it meant, before she was brought back to the present with the release of the Quaffle.

The match lasted a couple of hours, with Ireland winning by one hundred points, but Krum had caught the Snitch in the midst of a bloody nose. Silver could hear the Weasleys from the box above cheering loudly, as Mr. Crabbe led the way down the large stadium stairs. He had wanted them to get a head start on leaving so they wouldn't be accosted by the flux of the crowd. As the three of them walked back to the tent, Mr. Crabbe bid the two teenagers farewell to celebrate the end of the match with his own friends.

It was quiet as the two teens entered the tent. Silver waved her wand and lit the lanterns with a muttered spell. Vincent looked at her, surprised at her blatant breaking of the law.

"I didn't think you'd do magic outside of school," he commented in his quiet voice.

"It's not like anyone's going to notice. Besides, you wouldn't tell on me, would you?" Silver asked, batting her eyes at him. He flushed in response.

"No. It was just a comment. That was some match, huh?"

"Oh, yes it was. I hope the twins get the money they're owed."

"They bet on the match?"

"Yep. I did, too, though they need it more than I do."

"Oh yeah? Why's that?"

"Does it matter?"

"Nah, I guess not." Silver moved to make some tea for the two of them, pulling out a basket of cookies that Missy had packed for them and handing Vincent one.

"Silver?"

"Yeah, Vince?"

"Will you go out with me?" Silver looked at him. He was looking right at her determinedly, though his hands were shaking slightly. Silver thought about it for a moment, watching how her delayed reaction was affecting him. She thought about the match and how she reacted to the Veela.

"No. I'm sorry." His face fell slightly, though he did well to hide it.

"Do you like someone already then? You've turned down me, Draco, and Blaise. I don't think Greg likes you, so he's probably not going to ask."

"I don't like anyone specifically. As I told Draco, I haven't really thought about dating."

"Not even Potter or Longbottom? You seem close to both of them."

"Yeah, I'm close to them. They understand me in ways no one else in our house does, except maybe Millicent." It was quiet for a few minutes, as Silver got their tea ready. She could tell Vincent was tense, and that he felt awkward with her now that he'd asked her out.

"It was brave of you to ask me, though, without knowing my feelings. Thank you." He nodded in acknowledgment, though didn't comment. The tense atmosphere went away after a moment, and they began conversing quietly before each heading to bed.

Silver jolted awake at the sound of screams. Grabbing her wand, she searched the tent for Vincent and Mr. Crabbe. Neither were present, so she grabbed her bag and left the tent, looking for the source of the screams. There was smoke billowing out from several of the tents, which were on fire. The screaming was coming from the people fleeing towards the forest, as well as the Muggle family that was being juggled in the air by a group in masks. They were laughing at the Muggles' misery.

Silver looked around for Vincent, thinking he couldn't have gone far. She spotted Harry, Ron, and Hermione near the edge of the woods. The twins and Ginny were not far from them, though they got separated in the din of the crowd. Abandoning her quest to find Vincent, Silver sprinted towards her Gryffindor friends. After a few minutes of pushing through the crowd, she heard them ahead of her. Hermione was explaining in a frightened voice why they were running, and that the group of people in masks were Death Eaters. Silver came near them, but skirted around the clearing they had settled in, searching for threats. She froze when she saw the wild eyed man from her visions standing nearby, with Harry's wand in his hand. He was carrying an invisibility cloak, though it wasn't of the same quality as Harry's. He didn't see her; there was a house-elf running towards him from his right. Silver crouched down, curious as to what he would do. Brain working quickly, Silver realized that since it was Harry's wand he was carrying, Harry might get into trouble for casting whatever spell the man would do.

"Morsmordre," the man said, casting the spell straight into the air.

"Stupefy!" Silver cried, aiming her spell for the man. The elf dove in front of him, blocking it, before the man dropped the wand into the she-elf's hands and covered himself in the cloak. She ducked before heading to the clearing where her friends were. They were surrounded by adults, each pointing their wands at the teens.

"Who is it? Which one of you cast the Morsmordre?" A man that Silver recognized as Barty Crouch was pointing his wand accusingly at each of them.

"None of them cast it, sir," Silver spoke up. The adults spun around at her voice, wands trained on her. Her own wand was drawn, though it wasn't pointed at any one in particular.

"Who did, then? You?"

"It was a man's voice," Hermione spoke up, "From the bushes over there." She indicated to the bushes to the right.

"He didn't have his own wand, though," Silver commented, as another man searched the bushes indicated. He came out carrying the she-elf, who was holding a wand.

"Hey, that's mine!" Harry exclaimed. "I lost it."

"Most likely stolen. The man had an invisibility cloak," Silver replied.

Crouch's eyes had widened when he saw the elf, and left to search the bushes himself for more clues. He returned empty handed, though.

"Well, the man is long gone if he did indeed have an invisibility cloak," Crouch commented. "Perhaps we should wake the elf and see what she witnessed," the other man replied. He woke the elf, who it was discovered was Crouch's.

Crouch coldly dismissed the elf from service, for she had been in possession of a wizard's wand. The elf cried loudly, before she disapparated with a loud crack.

"Silver?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"Yes, Mr. Weasley?"

"You said you saw the man who cast the spell. What did he look like?" Silver thought for a moment, before responding.

"He had dark hair and was about my height. He looked underfed, since he was incredibly skinny."

"And how old would you say he is?"

"His face was mostly in shadow. Unlike here, the area wasn't lit when he cast the spell. However, when the spell was released from the wand, it lit his face enough for me to see that he wasn't incredibly old."

"Thank you. Why weren't you with the others?"

"I had come from a different direction into the forest. I only began approaching Harry, Ron and Hermione when I heard their voices. Sorry that I couldn't be of more help, Mr. Weasley."

"No, it's all right, Silver. Thank you." The rest of the Ministry workers left the teens alone with Mr. Weasley, who escorted them to the edge of the forest.

"Mr. Weasley?"

"Yes, Silver?"

"I had been staying with Vincent Crabbe and his father, but neither of them were in the tent when I woke up. Would it be possible for me to return with you home?"

"Oh. Yes, that would be fine. I'm sure Molly wouldn't oppose to it. I've got to go sort things out. Find the others and return home. There will be emergency portkeys leaving throughout the site. Go, now. Tell Molly I'll be home as soon as I can."

"All right. Thank you, Mr. Weasley," Silver replied, pulling her friends with her towards where she last saw the twins. The twins appeared, along with Ginny, who led them to the edge of the campsite, where a Ministry official handed them a portkey.

"Oh, thank heavens you're all right," Mrs. Weasley cried as they came into the kitchen. "I was so worried. Are Arthur and Percy still there?"

"Yes, Mum," Silver replied, pulling Mrs. Weasley into a hug. "It all right if I stay here until later? Margie won't be expecting me home until afternoon."

"Of course, dear. Head on upstairs, all of you, and get some sleep."

Everyone complied, with the exception of Silver, who settled herself in the living room. Mrs. Weasley tried to get her upstairs, but Silver wouldn't budge. Silver drew in her sketchbook until Mr. Weasley and Percy came home before she herself went home.


	45. Chapter 45

**Chapter 45**

The rest of the summer passed for Silver relatively uneventfully. She had written to Vincent to ensure he was safe after the Quidditch Cup. It took a couple of days, but she got a response stating that all was well. She kept in touch with her other friends as well, but spent most of her remaining time that summer with Sirius. Remus, as Professor Lupin insisted she called him, was in and out of Sirius's apartment. Silver rarely saw him, but when she did he always had a kind word and a smile for her.

"Sirius? Shouldn't we go work on the Manor today? You've been avoiding it for a couple days now." Sirius sighed heavily, before nodding. He offered his hand to her, which she took. Silver felt the now familiar feeling of apparation, before they appeared inside Grimmuld Place. They had travelled via apparation several times during the summer without the Ministry giving her notice.

"Where did we leave off again? Top floor, east wing?" Silver asked quietly.

"Yes. Do you have the list of things left to do?" Silver nodded, pulling it out and handing it to him. He went up the stairs to the designated room. Silver heard a crash a moment later, which caused the portrait of Mrs. Black to start shrieking. Sirius cursed, but didn't come down right away.

"Mrs. Black?" Silver asked. She was sure to wave her hand in front of the portrait to grab her attention.

"What do you want, you blood traitor?" Mrs. Black spat. She had ceased shrieking, seemingly intrigued by Silver.

"Oh, I suppose Kreacher had told you about me, then? That was considerate of him," Silver replied.

"What do you want?"

"Why do you shriek anytime there's noise?"

"Because that foul excuse for a son insists on besmirching the Black name by being in this house and bringing blood traitors into it."

"Shouldn't you be happy that we're trying to make this place presentable? It has been neglected for years, and is no where near the beauty that it once was."

"This place has gone to the dogs, and Sirius doesn't actually care about it. Hasn't for a long time."

"Perhaps not. But I care about it, and I've been trying to ensure this place looks its best."

"Isn't the goal of this all to sell the place? He's made it clear that he'd rather burn it to the ground."

"It will be sold, yes, once everything is cleaned up and it is made presentable once more. The safeguards around the place will make it valuable for other reasons soon enough."

"There will be more people traipsing in and out of here?" Mrs. Black asked in horror.

"Yes, most of which you would not approve of." Silver held up her hand to stop Mrs. Black from shrieking once more, since her face showed her outrage at Silver's statement. Baffled, Mrs. Black glared at the girl with narrowed eyes.

"There is only one other person who has ever dared silencing me in that way, and she disappeared thirteen years ago."

"My apologies, Madame Black. I did not mean to show disrespect. I just didn't want my eardrums to be blasted out of my head with your lecture. Though the people that will come in and out of here will be those you do not respect yourself, keep in mind that it would only be temporary."

"Temporary? Any amount of time with blood traitors, mudbloods, or half-breeds in my house would be too long," Mrs. Black scoffed in response.

"Perhaps. After thirteen years of no one for company except Kreacher, this place will be lived in again. You probably prefer your solitude, but how about I make you a deal?"

"A deal? What kind of deal?" Mrs. Black eyed Silver critically.

"If you permit the likes of blood traitors, muggle-borns, half-breeds or half-bloods here with minimal shrieking at every noise in this house, I will ensure that the house will go to a respectable family by your standards. I will also spend a bit of time with you any time I am here, though be aware that I don't do well with those who patronize others. I would most likely not be able to spend much time before becoming enraged. You've been surprisingly civil towards me thus far today."

"How would you ensure the sale?"

"I am resourceful; I'd find a way."

"I need more than that."

"A few of my house-mates parents would likely be interested in buying this place, if I present it properly. The first person who comes to mind is Narcissa Malfoy, since she is the only...respectable Black who is not incarcerated. Then Parkinson, Crabbe, Goyle, Zabini."

"You are a Slytherin?"

"Of course I am. Do you think I would be negotiating with you if I was not? I wouldn't want to insult you even more than my mere existence apparently does. Do we have a deal?" Mrs. Black eyed her shrewdly for a few moments.

"We have a deal, Miss Sullivan. Kreacher!" There was a pop as the old house-elf appeared.

"Yes, Mistress?" Kreacher asked, eyeing Silver in distaste.

"You are to do whatever Miss Sullivan here asks you to do in regards to the house. Her goal is to make the house presentable for company. Do not sabotage her as you have been for Sirius."

"As you wish, Mistress," Kreacher replied.

"Have a pleasant day, Lady Black," Silver told the portrait, bowing slightly before going up the stairs.

"It's about bloody time! I thought you'd never come up here," Sirius complained. He had not succeeded much on his own. Kreacher followed Silver into the room, much to Sirius's annoyance. He was about to reprimand Kreacher, but Silver turned to the house-elf.

"Kreacher, could you please search all the rooms for any sort of creatures and report back to me? I have a feeling they may have changed in the time that we've been away from the house." Kreacher bowed before scurrying out of the room. Sirius looked at Silver incredulously.

"He's not supposed to take orders from you. Why is he listening to you?"

"Your mother's portrait told him to do as I ask in regards to the house. Now, have you made any progress in sorting through all of the boxes?"

"I've made a few piles. Junk and sell-able junk." Sirius pointed to the two piles in question. Silver rolled her eyes, before taking a couple of empty boxes and sorting through the items herself.

"Check the curtains for any Doxies. There's a few scorch marks along the wall, so be careful." Sirius did as she instructed; sure enough, there was a nest of Doxies around the curtain rod. They snipped at him angrily, before Sirius hit them all with a Freezing Charm. He then placed them into a bag, before taking down the curtains in their entirety and placing them in the center of the room. When Sirius was not looking, Silver nicked a couple of the Doxies and placed them into her own bag, being sure to spray them with paralyzer.

The two of them worked diligently throughout the rest of the day. Silver would periodically give Kreacher tasks to do, which he did without complaint. Sirius made sandwiches for them both, before running off to the living room for reasons unknown to Silver. She figured he was talking to Dumbledore or Remus, though by the time he returned she had finished another room. Every room had a collection of boxes labeled according to their usefulness. Silver returned home for dinner, before deciding with Margie that she'd stay at Grimmuld Place for the remainder of the summer in order to work on the house.


	46. Chapter 46

**Chapter 46**

"Kreacher?" Silver called for the house-elf. Sirius had gone to get groceries with Harry, who was visiting for the day, and Silver was alone in Grimmuld place.

"Yes, Miss Silver?" Kreacher asked. His voice was gruff, but not nearly as unfriendly as it had once been.

"Do you know where this locket came from?" Silver held up a golden locket. The green S that was emblazoned on it glittered in the light of the room. Kreacher stared at the locket for nearly a minute before replying.

"Master Regulus," he stuttered out, before he was compelled with the urge to harm himself. He grabbed a cup from the bag that Silver was collecting and began hitting himself on the head.

"Stop! Stop, Kreacher! I don't need to know any more," Silver exclaimed. She was shocked that he had displayed such self-harm. She had only seen Dobby doing such a thing, and Kreacher was a much different elf than him. Kreacher stilled, before dropping the cup back into the bag.

"You can't talk about the locket, then, without disobeying Master Regulus's orders. Hmm."

Kreacher was looking at Silver with a blank look. Silver stood there for a few minutes, before realizing that she hadn't dismissed the elf yet.

"Oh, Kreacher, I'm sorry. I was wondering if you could bring this bag downstairs to the tree room? I've been collecting the Black memorabilia there for the time being. Feel free to take anything that you wish to keep for yourself. Only something small, though. I'll be figuring out the layout of everything soon enough."

"As you wish, Miss Silver," Kreacher replied, taking the bag that Silver had filled. She went back to studying the locket, before Kreacher's rough voice was heard again.

"Locket causes madness." He left the room immediately after that statement, causing Silver to look at the locket even more curiously before she pocketed it. She finished cleaning the room before moving on to the next one down the hall. Looking around, she heard a thunk come from the desk, before it visibly rattled. Eyeing it warily, she moved around the room more until she was right in front of it. She began to hear whispers, just as she did in the classroom during Professor Lupin's lesson on boggarts. She pulled out the master list of all of the rooms, before finding the one she was in. Sure enough, there was a symbol next to it for 'creature infested.' Silver had taught Kreacher how to draw the symbol, along with a few others, the day after she had him check every room. To her surprise, Kreacher had known how to read, but not how to write, so it made the task momentously easier.

As Silver left the room, she heard Sirius and Harry returning from their trip and intercepted Mrs. Black's wails before she could start. Although Mrs. Black had said she'd cease shrieking at every noise, she still went on a rant at least once a day.

"Mrs. Black?" Silver asked, throwing open the curtains that contained her.

"What is it?" Lady Black looked annoyed that Silver was interrupting her daily rant.

"Do you know when the boggart upstairs moved in?" Mrs. Black huffed.

"Of course not. It's not as if I can leave my frame, and boggarts come and go as they please. Are you not able to take care of it yourself?"

"I know how to get rid of a boggart. I just shouldn't since I'm not supposed to magic outside of school and it's better to do it in a group to maximize confusion. I should go. Have a pleasant day." Silver descended the stairs, leaving the curtains open.

"Hi guys. Successful venture?"

"Sure was, Silver. We got enough food to feed an army, I think," Harry replied.

"Then you need to re-imagine your idea of an army, Potter. At least you got enough for a week for the three of us. Oh, Sirius. Is it all right if I invite a few of my friends over for Thursday? I was thinking we could go to Diagon Alley and get school supplies together, and then meet up back here."

"Oh, yeah? If they want to come here, that's their right. How many are we talking though?"

"Well, if everyone says yes...it'll be three. Luna, Hermione, and Neville."

"Yes, that's fine, as long as they don't care about this place being gloomy."

"Hey, I've worked hard to brighten the place up a bit," Silver retorted, indicating the decorations she had thrown around the kitchen. There were several flower garlands hanging on the walls and a couple of vases scattered throughout the house.

"Yeah, you have. Thanks for that. I don't believe this place will ever be completely lively though. So much Dark Magic has been used or studied in here over the years."

"Maybe not, but we can at least try. I'll let August go with the letters, then. Since Hermione's at the Burrow for the rest of the summer, do you just want to see if we can meet up with the Weasleys as well, Harry?"

"That would be great! Erm, only if it's all right with you, Sirius," Harry added. Sirius laughed.

"You two need to stop treating me like I give a damn about this place. Silver's the one who wants to make it presentable before selling it."

"I have my reasons. I'll see you guys in a bit. Do you mind making me something to eat?"

"Nah, I don't mind. I'll just make enough for all three of us," Harry replied. Silver nodded before heading back up the stairs.

"Did I hear you say 'Weasleys'?" Mrs. Black asked as Silver passed.

"Sure did. Both Harry and I are friends with them, and this place is big enough to accommodate that many people."

"How many children did they have?" There was a bit of intrigue mixed with horror in Mrs. Black's voice.

"A total of seven. Only four of them will be coming, though, as the three eldest sons are out of Hogwarts."

"Why is it always the ingrates who breed like rabbits?"

"When you're poor, you don't have many options for entertainment," Silver replied before going to her room. She had begun decorating it slightly with some of her drawings to make it feel more homely.

"Hey, August. I'm going to need you to deliver a couple of letters in a few minutes, ok?" August hooted quietly, preening his feathers in preparation of the flight. He took off from Silver's window a little while later.


	47. Chapter 47

**Chapter 47**

"Neville! Luna!" Silver called to her friends. She was in Diagon Alley with Sirius and Harry.

"Hello, Silver! Hi, Harry. Hello, er..." Neville cut off, his eyes widening slightly in alarm, before smiling. "You must be Sirius. Silver's mentioned you in her letters. I'm Neville Longbottom." Neville held out his hand for Sirius to shake, which Sirius took.

"I'm Luna Lovegood," Luna piped up from beside Neville. She waved distantly, before hugging both Silver and Harry in greeting.

"It's nice to meet you both. Where to first?" Sirius asked. He was trying to stay inconspicuous, as he was easily recognizable.

"I'd say Flourish and Blotts," Silver replied. "Have you two gotten your books yet?"

"No, I had just left Gran for a moment when Luna appeared. Then you called out for us." As Neville spoke, a stern looking older woman came up to them.

"Neville, I need to go to Madame Millikan's. Will you be all right on your own for a bit?"

"Yeah, Gran, I'll be fine. Gran, this is Harry Potter, Luna Lovegood, and Sirius Black. You've already met Silver."

"Yes, yes, it's good to see you, Silver. School going well?"

"Extremely well, Mrs. Longbottom. Thank you for asking. How are the gardenias doing? You were having a bit of trouble with them during my last visit."

"They are thriving now. Neville was able to coax them out of their hibernation. Black," Mrs. Longbottom addressed Sirius, who started slightly. "Are you doing all right? You look like you haven't had a proper meal in weeks."

"Ah, well, I'm gaining the weight back slowly. I haven't seen you in a long while. How have you been?"

"As well can be expected. Miss...Lovegood, was it?" Luna nodded. "You have radishes attached to your ears. I would suggest you remove them before they rot."

"They are perfectly preserved," Luna responded.

"Besides, Mrs. Longbottom, Gurdyroots are hardy against most hostile conditions. It's doubtful that they'd rot just from being worn around a bit," Silver added with a smile. Mrs. Longbottom looked at her sharply, before addressing Harry.

"And you, Potter. Your hair is just as untamable as your father's was. At least straighten your shirt if you're going to be in public. I'm off now. Meet me at the Leaky Cauldron at four, Neville."

"Yes, Gran. I'll see you then," Neville replied. Mrs. Longbottom walked off, heading for the tailor's.

"I thought you said you'd be able to come over after this, Nev?" Silver asked, hooking an arm around him affectionately.

"Yeah, I can. Gran just wants to meet so that she can take my purchases home with her. Shall we go, then?" Silver nodded, before setting off with her friends, chattering and shopping. She didn't notice that Sirius had left them alone until he was already long gone.

"Remus!" Silver cried, crossing the room and giving the man a hug. "I wasn't expecting to see you tonight. I thought you had to work?" Neville came through the Floo, followed by Luna then Harry. Both Neville and Luna looked around the room in interest. They were in the sitting room, which held a couch, two arm chairs, a coffee table, and a lamp. Luna drifted over to one of the armchairs and sat down, lost in her own world once more. Harry crossed the room to give Remus a hug as well, before settling down on the couch. After a moment, Neville sat down as well.

"I did, but my boss gave me the night off. He had to close the shop in because of a family emergency," Remus replied.

"Oh. Everything all right?"

"I'm not sure. I'll find out on Monday, as he gave me the rest of the week off as well, because of my time off request." The full moon was a couple of days away.

"Well, that's good news for us. Has Sirius returned yet? He left us while we were shopping."

"Yes, he's in the kitchen. I think he said something about making dinner, but since I haven't smelled anything burning yet, it's entirely possible he got stuck."

"All right, I'll go check on him. Harry?" Harry looked up. "Want to give Neville and Luna a tour? I'll give one to Hermione and the Weasleys when they come. Mum said they'd be here around five, so we've got a bit of time."

"Sure. Come on, guys. I'd recommend not touching anything. Even though Silver and Sirius have been working on making this place livable, there's still some dangerous stuff around." Harry led the way out of the sitting room, with Neville and Luna following.

Remus followed Silver to the kitchen, where Sirius was sitting moodily at the kitchen table with a bottle of Firewhiskey in front of him. Remus was about to redirect Silver to go with Harry when she crossed the room, grabbed the bottle of Firewhiskey, and poured Remus a glass. She did not pour one for herself, though.

"How many have you had, Padfoot?" Silver asked quietly.

"Just a couple, vix," Sirius replied. Silver blinked slightly in confusion. Vixen was something only the twins had called her.

"And why are you drinking before dinner?"

"Because I wanted to," Sirius snapped, annoyed. Silver was silent. She started a pot of tea before sitting down once more.

"Easy, Pads. She was just curious," Remus responded.

"Well she can shove her curiosity elsewhere," Sirius grumbled.

"And you can shove your bitching up your arse," Silver replied snappily. Both men looked at her, shocked at her language, before Remus started laughing. Soon enough, Sirius had joined in. Silver just glared at them both until they stopped, before crossing the room to pouring tea for the three of them. She set a cup in front of both men, before taking the Firewhiskey and putting it away.

"Hey, I wasn't done with that!" Sirius protested.

"We're having more company in less than an hour, and you're drunk enough to be calling me vixen. You've had enough." Silver began the process of making dinner.

It was quiet for a few minutes, while the two men sipped at their tea.

"Do you want to explain why you disappeared during our shopping trip?" Silver asked.

"The four of you reminded me of my own Hogwarts days. I had to leave so I didn't spoil your fun."

"Your Hogwarts days shouldn't be a constant source of unhappiness. Think about it; if you hadn't gone there, you wouldn't be friends with Remus or be Harry's Godfather, right?"

"I don't regret my Hogwarts days. I just miss them," Sirius explained.

"Yeah. That's bound to happen. Can I offer a bit of advice?" Sirius nodded.

"I suggest that you live in the present. Learn who Harry is, and don't focus on the fact that he looks like James. Find something to focus on, to channel your energy in a healthy way. Tonight, focus on learning who we are, the people who have stumbled into your life. Have fun. There will be no judgment, from any of us." Remus looked at her incredulously, seemingly lost in a memory.

"Remus? Where'd you go?" Silver asked.

"Hm? Oh, sorry," Remus replied. "Our friend Crystal gave that advice to me more than once. You just made me think of her is all. Shall we focus on getting dinner ready, Sirius? As Silver said, we'll have guests soon enough." The two men left the room, leaving Silver alone in the kitchen.

"But dinner will be in here. Where are they going?" Silver muttered to herself.


	48. Chapter 48

**Chapter 48**

"Are you drawing us, Sullivan?" Pansy Parkinson asked sharply. The usual group of Slytherins were in their usual compartment aboard the Hogwarts Express. The only one missing was Blaise Zabini, who had opted to travel in Daphne's compartment.

"No. If I were drawing you, I'd be looking up more frequently, Parkinson," Silver replied, distracted.

"Then you won't mind if I take that, do you?" Pansy reached over and snatched the sketchbook from Silver. Silver glared at Pansy, but didn't make a move to take it back. Pansy smirked, before looking down at the drawing Silver was working on.

It was a fantastic bouquet of various flowers arranged in an intricate vase. Only half of the flowers were complete, but Pansy could see daisies, daffodils, roses, and lilies. Her mouth dropped in surprise, before exclaiming, "You did this?" At Pansy's disbelief, the other members of the compartment peered over, trying to catch a glance of the image. Silver waved her hand at Pansy, indicating for her to turn the image around for the boys to see.

"Yes, I did. Since it is incomplete as of right now, it has much work to be done. Hermione gave me a set of color pencils not too long ago. I've been trying them out to get the shading done properly." All members of the compartment looked at her confused at Silver's use of the Muggle terminology. Silver silently asked for the sketchbook back, which Pansy did without hesitation.

"Colored pencils are a Muggle invention. The closest wizarding tool I can think of is color changing ink, though the colors are much more varied. Here, let me show you some of my finished pieces." Silver rifled through her sketchbook to bring it back to the beginning.

"These are all ones I've done this summer. You'd be surprised how many sketchbooks I go through. Here we go. My room." Silver showed the group a drawing of her room at Margie's, shown as if someone was standing in the hallway looking in. The room was covered in a mis-mash of colors, but was quite minimalist in terms of possessions. The bed was the central point; on the bedpost a dream catcher hung, and there was a purple stuffed dragon sitting on the pillow.

"Woah," Gregory breathed. It was barely audible. Draco seemed to be studying it for any flaws; he smiled triumphantly when he found a few.

"What's that thing hanging on the bed post?" Pansy asked curiously.

"It's called a dream catcher. The theory is that it's supposed to catch nightmares so you can sleep soundly. There's no actual magic in it, though I've thought about adding some one of these days."

"Where would the dreams go?" Draco asked, intrigued.

"According the the lore, it's supposed to be captured in the weaves of the string and dispelled from the room entirely. I think the one I have needs to be made with different materials in order to work. That one I made when I was a child, but it hasn't helped quell nightmares." Silver shrugged, before flipping the page to her next image. It showed a portrait of Viktor Krum catching the Snitch, with blood pouring out of his nose.

"Was this done by memory?" Draco asked incredulously.

"Yes. I used one of those little figurines of Krum to get the details of his body and face, but the rest was done by memory. I couldn't quite get the colors right, though. As I said before, these are all ways for me to use my colored pencils."

"Have you ever thought of selling these? You could make quite a bit of money," Pansy commented as Silver flipped through her last two images. Silver blinked in surprise, hearing the compliment behind the words.

"No, I haven't really thought of selling these ones in particular. I have thought about selling smaller prints though, for birthday cards or postcards for people to send to their friends and families."

"Hm, that's not a bad idea. How will you get the word out there about your work?" Draco asked.

"Word of mouth, mostly. I've got plans to talk to the Weasley twins about their current project, but aside from that I was thinking perhaps endorsement? Take a popular student, or several of them, and convince them to advertise my prints. In return, they'd get the first ten cards free."

"Can you do requests?" Pansy asked. "I'm sure people will ask for that."

"I sure can. I've tried different kinds of art styles, though it's difficult for me to adjust quickly so it'd have to be in segments. Would any of you be interested in buying them?"

"Not at the moment, darling, but it's something for me to think about," Pansy replied. Draco nodded in agreement, before leaving with Crabbe and Goyle to taunt Harry and company. Silver rolled her eyes at this, before changing into her school robes and awaiting their arrival at Hogwarts.

"This year, Hogwarts will be hosting the Triwizard Tournament!" Headmaster Dumbledore announced. There were cheers around the Hall, though Silver eyed the Headmaster skeptically. She had read that the Triwizard Tournament had an exceptionally high death toll, which is why it had been abandoned in the first place. As Dumbledore was explaining more about the tournament, there was a loud crash as the main door to the Hall opened with a bang. The enchanted ceiling also chose that moment to reflect a bright shine of lightning followed by the thunder of the storm outside. Several students screamed, though the newcomer pulled out his wand and quelled the storm on the ceiling. As the man walked through the hall, each step clunking with his wooden leg, Draco whispered from across the table, "That's Mad-Eye Moody. What's he doing here?"

"Ah, Alastor. May I present your new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. This is Alastor Moody. He has agreed to come out of retirement to teach this year." There was applause, before Moody sat down at the end of the staff table. His magical eye swiveled around the room, before settling on a few students here and there. He pulled out a flask and took a swig, ignoring the goblet of pumpkin juice in front of him. He shuddered in response to his drink, and Silver narrowed her eyes slightly before focusing on the Headmaster once more.

"Hogwarts will become home to students from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and Durmstrang Institute at the end of the month. I expect you all to respect our guests as we play host." With that, and a few other reminders courtesy of Filch, Dumbledore began the feast.

"What do you think of the Tournament, Silver? Who do you think would be chosen?" Millicent asked from beside Silver. Silver was staring at the back of Harry's head, lost in thought, when Millicent's question jolted her out of her thoughts.

"It should be interesting," Silver commented.

"Why were you staring at Potter?" Draco asked snidely.

"It wasn't intentional. Though you'd have to know where he is to know where my eyes had led, Draco. Considering he's behind you." Silver smirked at Draco's slightly flushed cheeks, knowing she had caught him keeping tabs on the raven-haired boy. However, she made no further comment.

"Why only interesting? I think it's exciting. Can you imagine the new boys we'd be able to see with the guests? Ooh and I bet some of the French girls have different styles," Pansy gushed.

"They've got a uniform, same as we do," Silver replied. "It might be fun, depending on the trials the champions would face." The rest of the dinner was spent in excited chatter about the tournament. Silver listened and learned the theories for future knowledge, but didn't participate any longer.

"Hiya, Fred. George." Silver greeted them before sitting herself down next to them in the courtyard. It was their first weekend back, and the two of them had been a bit skittish about what they were working on, though Silver already knew what it was. The two boys tried to casually hide what they were working on, to play it off, but Silver spoke before they were successful.

"Did the Doxy venom help with the stability of the Noseblood Nougats?" Silver asked them. "I wouldn't imagine it did, since Doxy venom's got a thinner in it rather than a congealment like Acromantula venom does." Both boys looked at her, shocked, before George commented, "You were the one who sent us the Doxies? We thought it was Lee."

"Yeah, it was me. I found a few while I was cleaning out one of the drawing room's at Sirius' place. Figured you'd want to experiment with it. I would have just extracted the venom and sent it to you, but I didn't have the proper tools."

"Should have figured you'd known about the products when you were giving us advice at the Cup," Fred commented.

"Oh, yeah. Did Bagman ever give you your winnings?"

"Nope. We've been hounding him a bit ever since we discovered it was leprechaun gold he gave us, but he's being incredibly dodgy. Good call, there," George commented.

"Well I sent him a letter regarding mine too, since he didn't even give me leprechaun gold. I figure he thought he could pass it under the table since I'm younger than you two. I'll give it another month, before I start building a case against him."

"You're becoming a nice little lawyer there, huh, vixen?" George winked. Silver rolled her eyes at the nickname, sticking out her tongue childishly. Fred smirked in amusement.

"You know, I actually came over here to offer my services. If you don't want it..." Silver said, standing up.

"What kind of services, love?" Fred asked cheekily.

"Not whatever you're thinking. I'm starting a business of my own, selling my drawings as postcards or cards for any occasion. I was going to offer to design your brand, and make small postcards for you for advertisement. In exchange, you'd sell my cards in your shop. I'd need help with the witty one-liners for the inside, though." The twins exchanged a look, before smiling brightly.

"Give us a few design prototypes and we'll pick a winner," George said.

"Brilliant, I'll get them to you next week. I've got to go now. I've got plans to visit Hagrid today." Silver grabbed her stuff. As she started walking away, she turned back to the boys and handed them a textbook.

"If you want to make the Snack-boxes work effectively, might I suggest studying chemistry? It's similar to Potions, but gives a more in-depth analysis of things from a Muggle perspective. It can be applied to the work you're doing now. Let me know if you have any questions." Silver smiled before leaving.


	49. Chapter 49

**Chapter 49**

 **A/N Since NaNoWrMo has concluded, my update schedule will be less frequent. My goal is to update at least once a week, if not more. Thanks for reading. Please review! :)**

"The Imperius Curse is the most dangerous of the three Forbidden Curses," Professor Moody began his lecture. They had taken notes on the Forbidden Curses the week before, and Silver was curious where this class would lead. "Can anyone tell me why?" The class was silent with anticipation. Everyone expected Silver to answer, as she typically did.

"Sullivan," Moody growled. Silver didn't flinch, though half of the class did. She was staring out the window, watching a spider crawling across the sill. Moody prompted her once more, more forcefully, when she replied.

"It is nearly undetectable while being cast, which can make it nearly impossible for someone to realize their friend, co-worker, or even enemy is being controlled by someone else. Long term affects of being under the curse include memory loss, paranoia, and rash emotions when its lifted or broken. In contrast, Crucio is immense pain, sure, but your brain will eventually shut down as it would with any torture. The Killing Curse, obviously, is instant death." Silver's eyes never left the spider.

"Well put, Miss Sullivan. Five points to Slytherin. Now, today I'm going to teach you the affects of the Curse in small doses. Line up, wands out." The class scrambled to do as instructed. Silver was the last one to join the crowd. The spider she had been watching lay dead on the sill, with its legs still twitching.

Professor Moody began his demonstration by casting the Imperius Curse on Blaise Zabini. Zabini did a little jig before Moody canceled the curse. The rest of the class shied away, hoping not to be next. As a result, Silver ended up near the front with space all around her. Her gaze was defiant when Professor Moody turned to her.

"You want to try to throw it off, not just let it work you over," he said, before aiming his wand at Silver. _"Imperius."_ Silver felt a tingling sensation throughout her body. She wanted to embrace that tingling, until she felt the command.

 _Jump on the table._

I don't want to.

 _Come on. It'll be fun._

Why should I? I'm safe here.

 _There's danger here. Jump on the table._

No.

 _JUMP ON THE TABLE!_

"Protego," Silver said quietly. Her wand, which was loosely held to her side, flared up with a strong shield charm. She had not moved an inch since Moody had cast the curse upon her. The shield charm did little to ease the niggling tingling feeling, and she knew the curse was still in effect.

 _I told you to jump. So jump._

"No." Silver's voice was deathly quiet. With one last mental shake, she threw the curse off. The whole class was staring at her in amazement, before she fired a hex at Professor Moody. He blocked it with ease, before laughing.

"You want to fight, do you? This isn't the time or place for it. Well done with throwing off the Curse. Not many can do it, and you did it on the first try." Silver just glared at him, before he continued.

"Let's see if you can do it again!" He cast the Curse upon her once more. After a couple of seconds, Silver had thrown it off once more.

"This is not a lesson, you mad-man. This is barbaric. It's one thing to demonstrate with spiders. It's entirely another to experiment on students."

"Headmaster Dumbledore wants you to be prepared. You won't always be in the cushy student life. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" He banged the table for emphasis. Half of the class jumped at this, before Silver glared at him defiantly.

"I hardly think that this is what the Headmaster meant," Silver said, before grabbing her stuff and storming out of the classroom. The door banged open and there were sparks of magic flying everywhere she had been. The class looked after her in astonishment and confusion. No one had seen her lose control of her magic before, not even her house-mates.

By the time Silver arrived to the gargoyle protecting the Headmaster's office, she had calmed down marginally. She came to a halt, trying to think of the password. Sighing in exasperation, Silver came to a new conclusion and turned around. A few minutes later, she found herself outside of Professor Snape's classroom. She placed her ear upon the door, trying to hear if he was in lesson or not.

"If you are looking for me, Miss Sullivan, I am not in there," came the drawl of Professor Snape. Silver turned around to face her professor.  
"May I speak to you for a few minutes, sir? Or do you need to prepare for a class?"

"I have a free period. Follow me." Professor Snape turned and led the way to his office, which was farther down the hall. When they arrived, Silver looked around in interest. There were many jars with various potion ingredients around the room, as well as many books. Snape swooped behind the desk, before sitting. He arched an eyebrow at the seat opposite of him, where Silver sat. He waited for her to speak. When she was not forthcoming, he huffed slightly in annoyance.

"Is it your goal to waste my time, Miss Sullivan? Why are you not in class?"

"Because Professor Moody is delusional!" Silver sprang up and began pacing the room restlessly.

"Care to elaborate?"

"He's performing the Imperius Curse on us, to try to teach us how to throw it off. I doubt goody-two shoes Headmaster Dumbledore would have allowed that."

"Are you absolutely certain? It is quite serious to accuse a Professor of using an illegal curse," Professor Snape remarked.

"Of course I'm bloody certain! I was one of the ones who was subjected to it more than once, all because I can throw it off." Silver was now staring at Professor Snape indignantly. Magic began sparking around her once more, lighting the area around her face with purple streaks. Professor Snape's eyebrows shot to his hairline, though the rest of his face remained passive.

"Can you show me?" Silver looked at him curiously, though she was still furious.

"Like in a pensive? I wasn't aware you had one, sir."

"No. Using Legimacy, I would be able to view the memory." Silver eyed him warily. She had read about Legimacy and Occulemency before, and she was apprehensive.

"Why would I need to? Isn't my fury enough? You should know by know that I'm usually quite calm in class, sir."

"I do, but I find it difficult to believe that Professor Moody would be using an illegal curse on students when he is supposedly a former keeper of the law." Silver was quiet, before she responded.

"Would you be able to only view the class, and not my other memories?"

"It will depend on how your mind handles my presence." Silver was quiet once more, while Professor Snape waited.

"All right, then. What do I need to do?"

"Come a little closer, and look me in the eyes." Silver did as she was told. Professor Snape's eyes were solid black, which she found herself lost in as she heard Snape recite the spell. She felt a small twinge in her head as he entered, and immediately began thinking of the class she just left. After Professor Snape viewed the memory, she could feel him wanting to leave. However, she heard a voice say, _don't let him go, lest he reveal your secrets._ Silver panicked, and drew his presence into her mind further, ensnaring him. He attempted to go through her memories, as a way to escape, but she didn't let him. Instead, she channeled him into a memory that she knew would hurt him; the image of a younger Snape and Lily. She felt him recoil, and suddenly she could see him in front of her in the office, while still feeling his presence in her mind. His normally impassive face was contorted in pain, as her mind flitted around images designed to hurt him in the little ways she knew how.

Horrified, Silver immediately ejected him from her mind with difficulty. She found herself shaking and backing away from her Professor. Her back hit the door, before she slid to the floor.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I don't know how that happened, but I hurt you. Why is this happening?!" She was on the verge of a panic attack.

"Miss Sullivan," Professor Snape's voice came from his spot on the desk. Silver looked up, though her eyes were unable to focus on him.

"Are you aware of what you just did?" It was quiet, except for Silver's shaky breaths. She began thinking, letting her logic reside over. However, this was made difficult by the large sense of loathing that overcame her at Professor Snape questioning her ability.

"I trapped you."

"Correct. That is a near-impossible feat by even the most skilled trained in Occulmacy. Why did you show me those particular memories?"

"Because I wanted to...hurt you. But why? I like you, so why would I have this overwhelming desire to destroy you?" Professor Snape paced the room a bit, in thought.

"Your memories tell me that you were in fact under the Imperius Curse, though you don't have the signs of still being under it. Have you lost any memories recently?"

"No, I remember everything I've done. I've been angrier than usual, though I was attributing that to hormones. I am a teenager, after all. It's not uncommon for fits of rage to come." Silver pulled herself off of the floor. She crossed the room to the chair she had previously vacated.

"I do not believe this is normal teenage rage. This is more...sinister. I will need to do more research. I will also inform the Headmaster of what you had shared with me regarding Professor Moody's class."

Professor Snape began pulling books off of the shelves, muttering to himself. Silver hadn't moved yet.

"Professor?" He gave a grunt of acknowledgment. "I'm sorry for trying to hurt you. Lily was your friend, right? It must have been difficult when she died."

"My emotions do not concern you, Miss Sullivan." He placed a stack of books onto the desk. He looked her over, before continuing, "Might I suggest you pay a visit to the Hospital Wing? You look as if you'll go into shock at any moment."

"Of course, sir." Silver left, knowing that he was dismissing her. She was still a bit angry about Moody, but she had done what needed to be done.


	50. Chapter 50

**Chapter 50**

As September drew to a close, Silver spent more and more time away from her friends, preferring the company of Rodrick in the Sullivan library. She immersed herself in the history of her father's side of the family, as well as spellwork she had yet to learn in class.

"As much as I enjoy your company, Silver, you have been spending a lot of time here. Wouldn't you prefer to spend the time with your friends?" Rodrick asked, watching Silver with concern.

"No. This is far more important than mere friendship," Silver replied bitterly.

"I disagree. The pursuit of knowledge is an admirable venture, but not at the expense of human company." Silver ignored him and continued reading, until she heard a bang coming from outside the door.

"Now that's odd," Rodrick remarked. "The only way we'd be able to hear anything from the corridor outside is if someone were trying to get in." Silver sighed, before closing the book and slinging her book bag over her shoulder. She left the room and as the door closed, came in contact with someone solid. She was pushed into the wall where the door had been, and Harry had his hands on either side of her head, to prevent him from going farther.

"Can I help you, Potter?" Silver asked, glaring at him slightly. She didn't have any venom in her voice, but Harry immediately flinched as if stung.

"Silver. I should have figured you were in the Room since the door wouldn't open for me. I haven't seen you around lately. Everything all right?" He hadn't moved from his position on the wall, though he did back his face up a bit so the two of them weren't as close. He was preventing her escape, which she noted with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm fine, Harry. Can you please move? I wish to return to the Common Room."

"Nah, I don't think I will just yet. You've been avoiding me. Well, everyone, really."

"Let me guess, you were the designated spokesperson elected to snap me out of it, right?" Silver couldn't keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

"You're not acting normal, Silver. Ever since term started, you've been avoiding us. Your friends. I want to know why."

"I've been researching, if you must know. Learning about my family, and more advanced spells. If it seems like I'm avoiding all of you, it's because I've gotten busy."

"You've been busy since we started Hogwarts in first year, yet you always made time for your friends. Especially last year, when Ron and I became your friends. Why do you keep blowing us off?" Silver sighed exasperatedly, before pushing him off the wall and walking a few feet away.

"Maybe I want to do other things this year, make different friends. I have to go. See you around, Harry." Silver walked away, leaving Harry standing there confused.

On the 30th of October, the whole school of Hogwarts stood outside awaiting their foreign guests' arrival. First to arrive was Beauxbatons, in a large powder-blue carriage pulled by giant winged horses. The students filed out of the carriage first, clad in uniforms that matched the color of the carriage, with hats upon their heads. All of the students appeared to be seventeen or older, which was not surprising due to the age limit on the tournament. The last person to leave the carriage was an incredibly large woman, dressed in elegant furs. Silver spotted Hagrid watching the large woman, and could tell he was immediately enamored by her. Dumbledore greeted Madame Maxine, before gesturing for her and her students to wait by the doors into the school as they awaited the Durmstrang students to arrive. The Beauxbatons students were all shivering, as their uniforms were ill-suited for the cold wind of Scotland, though it was mild for October. Silver cast a quiet warming charm over them, amused at how grateful they appeared. No one noticed where the spell came from, however, except for Blaise. He had been watching Silver more and more lately, trying to figure out why she was behaving the way she was.

A few moments later, one of the younger Hogwarts students shouted out, "The Lake! Look at the Lake!" Sure enough, the Black Lake's surface rippled until the top of a mast appeared, followed by the rest of a massive ship. It had the appearance of a pirate ship, though the flag flying was Durmstrang's rather than a skull and crossbones. The loading plank thudded to the bank, shortly followed by the students. They were clad in long fur cloaks and fur hats. Everyone had a stoic look upon their face, though not necessarily unfriendly. At the end of the line, an older gentleman with a goatee and a cane was walking side by side with none other than Viktor Krum. Excited chattering broke out as people recognized the famous Quidditch star. Dumbledore greeted the Durmstrang headmaster, Karkoff, warmly before leading the way into the castle. The Hogwarts students followed, led by each of their heads of houses to their house tables. The Beauxbatons students settled themselves at the Ravenclaw table, while the Durmstrang students settled at the Slytherin table, much to many of the Quidditch team's delight.

After Dumbledore greets everyone, he introduces the other two judges of the Tournament, Ludo Bagman and Barty Crouch. He then draws an age line around the Goblet of Fire, a plain looking cup with brilliant blue flames shooting out of it, to prevent anyone under the age of seventeen from entering the tournament. Dumbledore then begins the feast, with the food appearing upon the table magically as it does for special occasions.

"Can you pass the beef, miss?" A gruff sounding voice came from Silver's right. She grabbed the plate and passed it to the boy. Looking at him, she saw a kind smile upon his face. His face looked rugged, typical of a Scandinavian male. His eyes were brown, the same shade as his hair.

"Here you are. Welcome to Hogwarts. My name's Silver."

"Thank you. My name is Magnus." Magnus went back to conversing with his friend next to him, ignoring Silver's presence once more. Silver bid him farewell when she left the table, however, which he responded in kind. Silver was the first Slytherin to leave. Blaise followed her out of the Great Hall, jogging to keep up with her. To his surprise, however, she was not walking towards the Common Room, but started escalating the stairs.

"Hey Silver!" Blaise called. Silver slowed, allowing Blaise to catch up.

"What can I do for you, Blaise?"

"I was wondering where you were headed. Common Room is the other way, after all."

"I like walking about the castle before I go to bed. Surely you would have noticed that, with all that you observe of me?"

"You noticed that, huh?" Blaise wasn't embarrassed. Instead, he just looked at her curiously.

"Of course I noticed. I may be busy, but I'm not stupid. What do you want?"

"Mind if I join you on your walk tonight?" There was a pause, before Silver began walking again. When Blaise didn't move, she stopped and looked at him pointedly before he walked back up to her. When he re-joined her, she began walking again. She led him around the castle aimlessly for a few minutes, before he spoke.

"Any particular reason you haven't been hanging out with your Gryffindork friends? Or really anyone?"

"Why do you care? It's not like you're friends with them."

"Maybe not. But you were, last I checked. You have a falling out over the summer or something?"

"No. I just haven't been wanting to hang out with anyone, really. Except Luna. I make time for her, since she helps me not feel insane."

"Why would you feel insane? You're brilliant."

"Yeah, well. I deal with things every day that make me question my sanity."

"Oh? Like what?" When Silver was quiet, he continued. "I won't tell anyone, if you're worried about that."

"I know you wouldn't. It's just not something I like talking to just anyone about."

"I'm hardly 'just anyone,' Silver."

"Maybe so. We've spent more time together this year than in all the time we've been at Hogwarts. Guess that's what happens when you are the only other fourth year Slytherin up for early breakfast."

It was quiet for a few minutes, as Blaise waited for Silver to speak again.

"I frequently get nightmares," Silver finally said. "They make me question my sanity since I get them almost every night. I try to draw what I see, which helps some. Luna is the only one I share them with, though, since she's the least judgmental person I've ever met. I tried with Neville, in first year, but he started having his own nightmares because of mine."

"Lovegood's your rock, huh? I never would have thought such a crazy girl would be able to help someone."

"She's not crazy," Silver protested quietly. "She sees the world differently than most, and still has the kindest soul you could ever meet despite being called looney on a regular basis."

"All right. If you say so. What else? There's something else, if the nightmares have been going on for a while." Silver was quiet once more. They reached another set of stairs, which she led the way up.

"I've also begun getting negative feelings when I'm around my friends. Feelings of wanting to hurt them, either emotionally or physically depending on the person. Luna is the only one of them I don't get that with, and it's incredibly disconcerting."

"Hmm. That's strange. Didn't I hear you say something about Snape looking into something for you? Was it related to this?" Silver blinked in surprise.

"Sort of. Remember that first practical Defense class we had, where my magic and temper went haywire?" Blaise nodded. "I visited Professor Snape after that, to report Moody's lesson to him. Which never got changed, by the way. I'm still aggravated about that."

"And that is what he was looking into for you?"

"No. My mood's been all over the place lately. Some of it is probably regular teenage hormones, but Professor Snape had thought it could be something else. I still haven't heard anything from him, even though it's been over a month." Blaise nodded in acknowledgment, before Silver led the way down a flight of stairs he hadn't seen before.

"How do you know the castle so well? I haven't seen the majority of the places you've been leading me."

"Because of the nightmares, I like to wander when I can't sleep anymore."

"You don't get caught by patrolling teachers?"

"Nah. I've got their schedule down pat, and a lot of the time when I wander, it's technically allowed, just really early. I've only gotten 'caught' once or twice by Professor McGonagall in cat form." They were quiet for a few more minutes, before Silver led the way behind a tapestry. The corridor took them to the hallway of the dungeons. Before long, they were in the Common Room once more. Draco sat on an armchair by the fire, reading a book. He looked up when they arrived, before looking suspiciously at Blaise. Silver waved goodbye to them both, heading for bed. The room was quiet when she entered; clearly, the other girls were either out or already asleep. Silver got ready for bed before casting her usual charms on the bed and falling asleep.


	51. Chapter 51

**Chapter 51**

 **A/N Hello! Sorry that it's been so long since my last update...life got in the way and I kept forgetting. Reviews help remind me to write...just saying.**

 _Silver was sitting in Grimmuld Place's kitchen, reading a book while drinking a cup of tea. The clock indicated that it was just past two in the morning. There was a thud as Sirius stumbled into the kitchen; clearly he had tripped over something. Silver looked up at him, noticing that his eyes were unfocused and he was unsteady on his feet. He collapsed onto the bench of the table, before groaning. He hadn't acknowledged Silver's presence. Silver waves her wand with a muffled murmur, causing another cup of tea to be poured for her new companion. With another wave, it slides in front of Sirius within his reach._

 _"_ _Rough night, Siri?" Silver asked. At the sound of her voice, Sirius lifts his head and looks at her blearily._

 _"_ _Could say that, Crys," he mumbled in return. Silver furrowed her brow in confusion, before continuing._

 _"_ _Why are you plastered? Couldn't pull anyone?"_

 _"_ _I haven't been able to pull anyone in months, vixen. No wonder, either, what with Moony looking as bloody fantastic as he did when we were-" Sirius cut off before staring intently at Silver. His eyes focused slightly and he frowned. Silver decided she didn't like a frowning Sirius._

 _"_ _Drink your tea, Padfoot. Then maybe you can talk to me without being lost in the past," Silver responded quietly, before returning to her book. After another couple of pages, she looked up and saw Sirius staring at her. His eyes were more focused, and she saw that his tea cup was now only half full._

 _"_ _You didn't react when I called you Crystal. Why?" Sirius asked. He was oddly solemn, and Silver was intrigued._

 _"_ _Remus has called me Crys before, when he was sick last year. I supposed she looked like me. I figured you were lost in the past, just as he had been." It was quiet for a few moments. It appeared to take Sirius some time to process her words._

 _"_ _Who was she?"_

 _"_ _A friend of ours. Never quite as close as she could have been, but she figured out Moony's secret long before we did. I'm pretty sure she was the first person Moony considered a confidant."_

 _"_ _What happened to her?"_

 _"_ _She disappeared just before Harry's birth. No letter and no warning, as far as I know. Moony didn't seem surprised when she left, though, so maybe she told him something that she didn't tell the rest of us. You're the spitting image of her, though you dress differently and aren't as carefree as she was. It's a wonder, too, since your stories are pretty similar."_

 _"_ _Oh yeah? How so?"_

 _"_ _She lost both of her parents as a child. Dumbledore gave her a place to live, with a Squib, by the time she started Hogwarts. I never found out why he did that for her."_

 _"_ _Did she have any other family at Hogwarts?"_

 _"_ _Yes, a cousin on her father's side. I believe that cousin was your mother, if I remember the lineage correctly." Silver stared at Sirius in disbelief for a few moments. He made himself another cup of tea before speaking again._

 _"_ _Terribly sorry about this, love. But I said more than I should have. Moony told me not to tell you about Crystal, but I did it anyways." Silver suddenly found Sirius's wand trained on her. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously; before she could even make a move for her wand, Sirius Oblivated her._

 _In the flash of dim light, the scene changed to Silver and Kreacher in the drawing room. Kreacher was leaving when he spoke: "Locket causes madness, Miss Silver. So much madness." He muttered while he left._

 _Silver felt a burning around her neck, before she saw Tom Riddle standing before her once again. Unlike in the Chamber, he was older, maybe in his early twenties. His eyes were slightly sunk in his sockets. They flashed red before-_

Silver awoke with a jolt. She heard screaming, before she realized it was her own. As she came to that conclusion, the screaming stopped. Silver was shaking immensely as she sat up slightly. Her shirt was drenched in sweat. She felt the heat of the locket against her skin, which was still warm, though not nearly as hot as it was when she awoke. With trembling fingers, she extracted it from underneath her shirt and examined it by touch. It felt as it always did, though when she reached the clasp, she saw a flash of red eyes once more in her vision. _The locket causes madness._

Shuddering, she pulled the locket's chain up around her neck and coiled it into her hand. Her heart was still racing, though she was much calmer than she was a few minutes ago. She opened her curtains at the foot of her bed, taking the books off of her trunk and placing the locket in a compartment within. As soon as she clasped the compartment shut, she felt lighter than she had in months. She grabbed her sketchbook and drew her dream, ensuring to include what she had supposedly forgotten about her mother's cousin.

Later that morning, Silver was reading at the breakfast table, with her book propped open in front of her. As she was finishing a page, she felt a distinctly male presence sit across from her. She prepped a cup of tea for her new companion, adding one each of cream and sugar, before sliding it across the table. She did all of this without having her eyes leave the book, thanks to the aid of magic.

"How vid you know how I like my tea?" a deep male voice sounded from across the table. Silver didn't hear the male until a few seconds later; when she looked up, she saw the dark eyes of Viktor Krum looking at her curiously.

"Apparently, you share tea preferences with my friend Blaise. I had thought you were him, as he usually is the one to join me in the mornings," Silver replied, having another bite of toast. Her eyes wandered back to her book after Viktor did not reply. Once she finished a chapter, she closed her book and placed it into her bag. When she looked up again, Viktor was halfway through his large breakfast.

"Training for a marathon, are you?" Silver said, with a smile. Viktor finished his mouthful before replying.

"Running takes a lot of energy."

"Ran around the lake a few times this morning?"

"Yes. I must keep in shape for the next Quidditch season."

"Fair enough. My name's Silver." She offered her hand, looking him in the eyes.

"Viktor," he replied, accepting her hand and shaking it. Silver went back to her breakfast, before looking around the Hall. She spotted Hermione and Neville at the Gryffindor table, with Hermione chattering about some new fact that she had learned the night before, or most likely reviewing her homework with Neville. She gave a small smile before realizing that Viktor was looking at her strangely.

"What? Do I have jam on my face or something?" She swiped at her face, before Viktor chuckled.

"No. You're just the first person who hasn't asked a million questions or stared at me longingly since I arrived."

"Oh. Really? That's a shame. Are you hoping to be picked for the tournament?"

"Yes. It will be an honor to represent my school if I am chosen. What about you?"

"I'm not old enough to enter just yet. It would be interesting to compete if I could, though." Viktor nodded and continued eating. Silver bid him farewell when she left the table, passing Blaise on the way out.

Silver waited outside the Hall until she saw Hermione and Neville. Neville was muttering under his breath while staring intently at a book that he was carrying.

"You know, it's dangerous to read while you walk," Silver commented, matching her pace to the other two. Hermione gave her a glare, while Neville dropped his book in shock. Silver caught it and handed it back to him smoothly.

"What do you want?" Hermione asked, a bit sharply. Neville just fidgeted a little, awaiting Silver's response.

"To apologize. I've been a git. I'm sorry." Silver looked at both of her friends before reaching into her bag and pulling out their favorite chocolate bars. She offered them to each: Neville was the first to take his, followed closely by Hermione. Neville threw his arms around Silver in happiness.

"I forgive you, Silver. Harry said you had been researching. It must have been important, huh?"

"Not as important as it could have been. It's not like I was researching how to save the world. Just family history and a collection of spells."

"Oh? Well, then you must teach us the spells too. I'd love to hear it," Hermione replied, before hugging Silver as well. The three walked to the Charms classroom, where Silver left them before heading to Transfiguration.


	52. Chapter 52

**Chapter 52**

Before the Halloween feast that night, Silver changed into her yearly festive outfit. She wore her normal school robes, but wore a cape around it that would allow her to look like a bat in flight when grabbing the ends of it. Her tights were covered in bats as well, trailing to her silver bat adorned shoes. In lieu of a festive shirt under her robes, she stuck to a plain black top and skirt. Her hair was pulled high atop her head, with a big black ribbon tied in a bow to look like ears. There were tendrils falling prettily onto her face, allowing her ears to be seen. From them were small bat earrings that shimmered slightly whenever she moved.

"Silver!" Luna called, as she descended the stairs towards the Great Hall. Silver turned at the sound of her voice, grinning like a fool when she saw that Luna was wearing an outfit more outrageous than her own. Luna was wearing an outfit that made her look like an ethereal jack-o-lantern: her pale skin contrasted the deep orange strikingly. From her ears dangled two mini pumpkins, which matched the ones on her shoes.

"You look brilliant, Luna. I'm glad you waited to reveal this until now. We can enter together!" Silver beamed at her friend, overcome with happiness.

"Mhm," Luna responded, clasping her arm around Silver's as the walked arm and arm towards the Hall.

"I'm glad you made up with your other friends. They weren't themselves without you around." Silver just smiled as they entered the Hall. She wished Luna goodbye and went to the Slytherin table. She found herself next to Viktor once more and across from Draco.

"I had thought you had forgone the outfit this year, Sullivan," Draco drawled.

"Nope. I was just saving it for the Feast this year. Do you like it?" Silver replied with a smirk.

"It's less...gaudy than the one you wore last year," Draco shot back with a sneer. Silver recognized that he was being snooty since they were in the presence of strangers.

"Thank you!" Silver replied brightly, before turning her attention to the Headmaster. His speech was short, allowing the students to eat before the drawing of names could occur.

"This is a regular thing for you?" Viktor asked, indicating the outfit Silver wore.

"Yes. I wear an outfit every year, since Halloween is my favorite holiday. My best friend Luna started joining me last year with them, since she thought it'd be fun."

"Where is she?" he asked, looking around. A moment later, he spotted her and chuckled. "The pumpkin."

"Yup. She sticks out a bit more than I do. The beauty of it is, we don't plan these together. Last year we both ended up with spiderweb outfits, though in different colors."

"It is good you have fun."

The two chatted more throughout the meal, though Viktor's grasp of English wasn't as great as it could be. Towards the end of the Feast, Viktor was swept into a conversation with another of his classmates.

"The first student selected for the Tournament is...Fleur Delcour from Beauxbatons." The Hall applauded politely as a beautiful girl with long blond hair strode across the Hall to a door in the back. This initial announcement was followed by Viktor Krum and Cedric Diggory from Hufflepuff being selected.

"Now that the Goblet has chosen its three Champions, we will-" Dumbledore cut off as the Goblet reignited into a green flame, spitting out one more piece of paper. "Harry Potter," Dumbledore said. After a moment of silence, he repeated himself, louder. Silver spotted Hermione pushing Harry into action from the Gryffindor table. The Hall was completely silent as Harry walked to the doors. Silver wanted to encourage him, but also didn't want to draw attention to herself. As soon as the doors closed behind Dumbledore, the Hall broke out in confused and furious whispers. Silver noted that one of the most furious was Draco. She stayed silent, listening to what those around her were saying.

"What do you think will happen, Silver?" Blaise asked from across the table.

"He'll have to compete. It's the way of the Goblet. There's magic binding him to it, which would be incredibly difficult to change without voiding the whole tournament altogether. I'm guessing that a lot of money and time has gone into this. They'll have to readjust," came her reply.

"But did he do it?" Draco interjected.

"Doubtful. It takes a great deal of dark magic to tamper with a magical object that powerful. Besides, competing is the last thing Harry would want to do."

"Who _wouldn't_ want to compete for that money and fame?" countered Pansy.

"Someone who already has both, and who would rather not die in the process of said fame. Harry's got enough of a target on his back as it is. The rest of the school is going to hate him for something he has no control over. As usual." Silver scoffed at her classmates' reactions of disbelief, before she strode out of the Great Hall. She didn't even wait for the announcement to be official, and no one protested her departure.


	53. Chapter 53

**Chapter 53**

 **Minor edit in this chapter (2/18/18) I realized I had placed the wrong kind of dragon in her drawing for the first task. It has now been updated to read Swedish Short Snout rather than Norwegian Ridgeback.**

Silver didn't look up from her work when she heard the door to the Room of Requirement open and shut.

"Why did you want me to meet you here?" Harry asked bitterly. "It's not like we're friends, right?"

"Wrong," Silver countered, standing up from her place on the floor. She picked up the large notepad she had been drawing on, before carrying it over to an easel. When she finished, she turned around to face the Gryffindor.

"First, I wanted to apologize. I wasn't acting like a friend to you or anyone, really, except Luna."

"Why were you acting strangely, anyways?" Harry interrupted.

"Honestly?"

"That's usually best," Harry replied, with a smirk.

"I was in possession of a Dark object. It was feeding on my emotions to gain strength. I'm still not sure what _kind_ of Dark object it is. But I've placed it somewhere where it won't feed off of me or anyone else."

"Okay then. So you're back to normal?"

"As normal as I ever am," Silver replied with a smile. She grabbed his hand and led him farther into the room, to the first easel she had set up.

"What's this?"

"The second reason I called you in here." Silver uncovered the first easel. On it was four dragons entwined within each other. Each dragon's head were different shapes, and looked out at the two of them from the four cardinal points.

"Woah. I had no idea your skill has improved this much."

"Yeah, well, when you draw every day it's hard not to improve."

"What kind of dragons are they?"

"The one at the top is a Chinese Fireball. You can tell by its more serpentine features. The one to the right is a Swedish Short Snout, based on the horns at the tip of its head, as well as the shape of the snout. The one to the left is a Welsh Green, since its scales are smoother than the others. The last one, at the bottom, is the Hungarian Horntail. They've got nasty tempers, especially when they're nesting." Harry looked at the image a bit longer, before scrunching his nose in confusion.

"Why are you showing this to me? I mean, don't get me wrong, it's really cool. But dragons aren't my thing, you know that."

"I am showing it to you, because I have been dreaming of all four of these dragons since the start of the summer. All of the images I'll be showing you are from dreams I've had at some point repeatedly."

She unveiled the next image, of four body shaped masses tethered to a large rock platform. There was a human-like creature next to them who was carrying a trident. His face was menacing, while his fish tale was curled as if he was being kept afloat from it. Harry looked at it in confusion.

"Where is this?"

"I'd imagine the Black Lake, since it's the largest body of water for miles. I do know that the merman who's depicted is a king. See his crown?" Silver gestured to the crown atop his head, which was partially hidden in his wild hair.

"Are there mer-people living in the Black Lake?"

"Yeah. It's the largest independent colony in the Northern Hemisphere, if I recall correctly."

"Hmm. Okay. What's next?" Silver unveiled the third notepad. A giant maze with a shimmering dot in the center was drawn.

"A maze? What's that at the center?" Silver just looked at him, letting him figure it out on his own.

"Oh. It's the Triwizard Cup, isn't it?" At Silver's sound of consent, Harry's eyes widened.

"Do you think these are the tasks for the Tournament then?" Silver was silent. He tapped her shoulder with his own, but she didn't react. Puzzled, he walked in front of her to face her. He had to stifle a sound of shock when he saw her eyes completely clouded over, as if she were blind. She began muttering to herself, but Harry couldn't comprehend any of the words. Belatedly, he realized it was another language. Silver reached forward blindly. When her hands touched his neck, he felt himself lurch forward mentally.

" _Come on, Potter! Come out and play!" A voice was taunting him. It sounded familiar to Harry, but he couldn't place it. He tried to move forward towards the sound, but was unable to. Looking to his right, he saw Silver standing there staring intently at the space in front of her._

" _Silver? What's going on?" She didn't respond, but walked forward a bit, towards the voice. Harry found he could follow, so he did. The sky was alight with spells being fired, though there was no sound. The voice that had called was silent once more, though as the two of them came into view of the fighting, it was clear who had called. Harry recognized him from the vision during the summer: Silver's father. Jasper Sullivan was jumping around like a mad-man, dodging spells left and right as he fired a few of his own. As Harry and Silver approached the battlefield, the surroundings became clearer. They were in a graveyard, and the people that Jasper was fighting was Cedric Diggory and a dirty, battle-worn version of Harry. The Harry with Silver was alarmed and confused at the sight, especially once the two of them got within range of the spells. Silver seemed unperturbed, though, which is what prevented him from panicking._

" _Kill the spare, Sullivan! Time is of the essence," came a cold, cruel voice. Harry suppressed a shudder when he heard it, knowing instinctively who it belonged to: Lord Voldemort. There was a flash of green, before the scene changed suddenly._

 _They were in the Great Hall, where everything was shrouded in black. The scene changed again._

 _The Great Hall looked like a winter wonderland, with circular tables strewn around a large dance floor. Hagrid was dancing with Madame Maxine, and there were a few other couples that were clearly enjoying themselves as the music flowed._

 _Harry was on his Firebolt, flying rapidly away from a Hungarian Horntail, with a golden egg in his grasp._

The images began to swirl and flashes of different things appeared, too fast for Harry to make out. Finally, after what seemed like hours, Harry lurched backwards and fell to the carpeted floor of the Room of Requirement, with his head splitting in pain. He was screaming, and it took him a moment to realize that Silver was too. As he realized this, the scraming stopped. He heard her whimpering, before there was the frantic rustle of paper. The pain in his head dulled slightly as he watched Silver drawing manically. After several long minutes, it stopped.

"Are you all right, Harry?" Silver asked quietly. Her voice shook slightly as she sank to the floor.

"All right. You?"

"Been better. How's the head?" She was still speaking in an incredibly quiet tone, though the shakiness was all but gone.

"Less painful than it was a few minutes ago. How did you know my head hurt?"

"Well, I just pulled you quite violently into my own mind and then catapulted you out once I realized you were there."

"Wait, how did that happen?"

"I needed an anchor. Normally if I get taken over like that I have my sketchbook or something to draw on. But you got in my way, so I ended up sucking you in instead. Sorry." It was quiet for a few minutes, before Harry pulled Silver up to get her situated on a nearby couch. She curled into his shoulder where he held her for a few minutes in silence.

"Silver?"

"Hm?"

"How often does that happen?"

"Not very often when I'm awake. It's only happened two other times so far. Luckily, they both happened right before bed, so I had my regular privacy charms up."

"Privacy charms?"

"Yeah. So that my roommates don't hear my screams or mutterings. Or my violent thrashing."

"I didn't know these visions were so violent on you. You've always made it seem like they were regular dreams, just useful ones."

"Hmm. I've gotten used to them. After three years, I'd be surprised if I hadn't. But the more violent nights are when I end up wandering around the castle. Or I come here to whittle some time away." It was quiet for a few more minutes, before Silver spoke again.

"You realize our friendship is far from normal, right?"

"What do you mean?"

"I just involuntarily shared a big part of my life with you. Again. And you don't seem phased by it in the slightest. Especially after the vision I just had."

"You said it yourself. These are potential futures. Nothing's set in stone, though it is horrible that your father is a servant of Voldemort."

"He has been Voldemort's servant for a long time. If that's how he decides to live his life, that's his prerogative." Silver pulled away to cross her legs and face Harry once more.

"The last three notepads are other potential tasks you may have, though the three I showed you are the most plausible since I got them the most frequently. I know you're not supposed to get outside help, but I wanted you to know that I support you. And that if you'd like help, I can point you in the right direction without actually doing anything to jeopardize your place in the Tournament."

"I- Thank you," Harry muttered.

"Another thing. This came for you while we weren't speaking all that much. Sirius sent it with my letter by mistake." Silver handed him a small rectangular mirror. Harry looked at it, perplexed. Silver smiled, before sliding closer to him.

"Sirius Black," she said, watching the mirror's surface ripple. Nearly a minute later, Sirius Black appeared. His hair was disheveled, but he was grinning when he caught sight of his godson.

"Harry! I'm glad you called, I was getting worried you hadn't gotten my present."

"You sent it to me instead, Sirius. And since I was being a right git, Harry didn't get it until now."

"Silver? Why are you in the Gryffindor common room?"

"We're not in the Gryffindor common room. I know, it probably looks like it because of the décor choice, but it's just the way this room is."

"Oh? And what room is that?" Sirius smirked. Harry was about to reply, before Silver cut him off.

"Just a room I found in one of my wanderings. It's got a bunch of old furniture from all four common rooms, I think. Harry just tends to gravitate towards the red one since that's what he's familiar with." Harry just nodded in agreement.

"We should probably get to bed, Sirius. I can call you again tomorrow, if you'd like? Unless you're busy," Harry hastily added.

"I'm free tomorrow night. Moony's taking me to breakfast in the morning, and you've got classes and whatnot. Quick update though? How's it going, pup?" Harry's grin grew more somber, before replying.

"Someone placed my name in the Goblet of Fire. I have to compete in the tournament."

"You-you have to compete in the Tri-Wizard Tournament?" At Harry's nod, he swallowed.

"Someone's out to get you, I reckkon. Are you sure you have to?"

"Yes. Dumbledore said it himself. There's a binding contract in place." It was silent for a few moments.

"Silver?"

"Hm?"

"Is there any way around it?" Harry's temper spiked, before he felt Silver's hand entwine in his own. Sirius couldn't see it, but it prevented him from lashing out at Sirius.

"No. I've researched everything about the Tournament and the Goblet. They all say the same: if someone is selected they must compete at the cost of their own life. That is the cost of forfeit, even though I am unsure if the modifications that Dumbledore and the others have placed on the Tournament itself would have such dire ramifications. It is still better to compete than to forfeit, especially at the expense of foreign relations. France and Romania are our biggest allies in the magical community, and all three schools will benefit from the interactions gained from the tournament itself."

"All right. Let me know if either of you need help with anything, okay?" The two students nodded in assent.

"Sirius, how's the custody battle going?"

"It's still slow going. I'm making a bit more progress since that lawyer friend of yours has made me her priority."

"I bet you love that. Wasn't she one of your former classmates?"

"A few years younger than us, vixen." Silver groaned at the nickname.

"All right. We really should get going, Sirius. Have a good night."

"Goodnight. Call me tomorrow, Harry?"

"Yeah. Goodnight, Sirius." The mirror shimmered once more until Harry's reflection could be seen again. The two students stood to leave the room.

"Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I borrow the Map again? You have the Cloak, right?"

"Yes, I have the Cloak. When will I get the Map back?"

"Can I have it until Monday?"

"Sure. Just be sure no one sees it."

"Of course, Harry, I'm not an idiot." Silver punched his arm lightly.

"You'll be all right getting back on your own? I'd hate for you to get detention for being out so late."

"I'll be fine. Safe travels back to your common room, Harry. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Silver." Silver left the room, map held aloft. Harry followed after her, ensuring that the door had closed behind him.

A few minutes after he settled into bed, he felt a buzzing on his back. Reaching into the undershirt, he found a piece of parchment with two words upon it: _I'm back._ He smiled before tucking the note underneath his pillow.


	54. Chapter 54

**Chapter 54**

Silver and Hermione were studying in the library, when the sound of girlish giggles could be heard behind them. Hermione groaned quietly in annoyance, before continuing with her work. Silver looked up and caught Viktor watching them study, though he was quick to divert his eyes back to the shelves. A glance behind her confirmed that the giggles were coming from Viktor's admirers.

"Is this a frequent occurrence?"

"Every day for the past two weeks," Hermione replied, distractedly. Another titter of giggles from the girls caused her to turn around in her chair and glare at them witheringly. They payed no mind to it, though, so enamored they were with the Quidditch star.

"Do you mind Viktor's presence or the girls?"

"The girls are annoying. He just stares. I'd be flattered if it weren't a bit creepy." Silver chuckled quietly, before getting up and striding over to the girls.

"Unless you wish to be on the receiving end of some nasty hexes, I'd suggest you clear out for now. You can admire Viktor during his morning runs. Far more exciting," Silver whispered conspiratorially with a wink. The girls giggled a bit more, before finally leaving.

"If you'd like to join us, Viktor, you may. It does no good sulking in the stacks pretending to pick out a book," Silver remarked, approaching him from behind. Hermione's focus had gone back to studying a while ago, thus hadn't even noticed Silver's departure.

"I wouldn't want to impose," came the thick-accented reply.

"Your fangirls were imposing far more than you yourself were. Come on, I'll introduce you." Silver led the way back to the table, after making sure Viktor was following. He cautiously sat, suddenly nervous.

"Hermione?"

"Hmm?" Her lip was between her teeth as she concentrated on a passage. Silver waited a moment, before gently tugging on her hair to gain enough attention for her friend to look up.

Hermione's eyes met Silver's, before flicking across the table to Vikor's. He was staring at her steadily. For some reason, a blush graced her cheeks at his intensity. Silver smiled, before introducing the two of them.

Vikor took Hermione's hand and kissed the back of it, before butchering her name in his broken English. This caused Silver to chuckle, and Hermione's face to flush even further. Silver handed Viktor a book, giving him something to focus on. When he read the title, he looked at her in surprise.

"This book is in Bulgarian."

"Yes, it is. My understanding is that it's a folklore book? Did I translate that correctly?" At his nod, she smiled. "If you haven't read it yet, I suggest you do. I've read the English version of that same one, and it has many fascinating creatures in it. It may help you with your upcoming tasks if there are encounters with magical creatures. Granted, some of them are only lore, not fact so I would tread a bit lightly with it."

"Thank you. It is kind of you to give this to me." He flipped it open and began to read. Silver and Hermione both went back to their own studies, before Silver left a half hour later.

Silver found herself outside of Professor Snape's chambers a few days later, his note clutched in her hand. After checking her emotions, she knocked surely on the door.

"Enter," came the voice from within. Silver opened the door, finding her Professor sitting behind his desk, grading essays. She strode across the room and stood next to the chair, awaiting invitation.

"Sit." She did as she was told, looking around for any changes since her last visit. The only thing she noticed was a shift in the magical energy, as if there were more wards placed upon something in the room. After a moment, she determined it was coming from the cupboard behind his desk. Knowing that he would not answer any questions until he was finished, she remained silent. A couple of minutes later, he finished and looked up at her.

"Do you know why I called you here, Miss Sullivan?"

"No, sir, I do not."

"You are here because of the accusations against Professor Moody. They have been investigated."

It was quiet for a few moments as Silver waited.

"Well? What happened, sir?"

"The Headmaster asked him to prepare the students in any way he deemed necessary. Therefore it was well within his means to use the Imperius on students, as long as they were third year and older."

Silver just looked at him, seeing if there was more.

"And the investigation of my behavior, sir?"

"Mere coincidence. I had been mistaken in believing it was malicious intent. You are free to go."

Silver didn't move. When Professor Snape noticed, he raised an eyebrow.

"Is there something else, Miss Sullivan?" It was quiet for a moment, before she spoke once more.

"How is my request for tutoring coming along, sir?" It was quiet as he shuffled through some papers.

"It has been granted," he replied, handing her the form with his signature scrawled on the bottom. Silver narrowed her eyes, before taking the form and glancing at the handwriting. Instead of leaving like the Professor expected, however, she merely placed her feet upon the chair and stared at him. It was silent for a few minutes, before he spoke again.

"Why haven't you left yet? I dismissed you, and you got your ridiculous form." He was uncharacteristically blunt.

"Well, sir, you told me last year that a teacher cannot endorse a student who wishes to teach for money. And yet, you just handed me the form saying you would. My question for you, sir, is how did you get into the castle when you should be somewhere else?" Snape's obsidian eyes bored into hers, almost as if he was trying to incinerate her with his mind. However, it lacked the intensity that she normally felt when he glared.

"Well, you're obviously not Crouch, since he's still in the defense classroom teaching. Wormtail's in Azkaban, and Voldemort's not in his full body quite yet. So that leaves...Jasper." Snape's eyes comically widened, before they shifted into startling blue. There was a panic embedded in his eyes: clearly, he hadn't been paying attention to the time. Moments later, a man with Silver's sandy hair sat in the chair. He was broad-shouldered, but on the plump side. It was a man used to luxury, in every sense of the word. When the transformation was complete, he narrowed his eyes onto his daughter.

"You've gotten smarter. And more foolish." He waved his wand, which coincidentally was similar to Snape's in appearance, and locked the door behind Silver. She felt silencing charms and confounding charms wash over the doorway as well.

"And you have grown cocky." Silver had her wand held in her hand, though didn't fire any spells.

"How did you figure it out? It had to be more than a simple form that tipped you off."

"You may have looked like Professor Snape, but few can capture the essence that is him. Your stare wasn't nearly as piercing as his. Surely the Dark Lord would have told you that?"

"Insolent girl! Don't speak about things you do not understand." His face was twisted in anger. Silver felt her own temper rise, though was careful to hide it.

"And do not speak to me like I'm an imbecile. I am much different than the girl you once knew. Why are you here?" He glared at her, before casting a non-verbal bondage spell on her. Nothing happened, to his surprise. With a discreet flick of her wand, ropes appeared on the chair, trapping him in place. Silver approached him slowly, before smiling wickedly. She stopped just to the right of Jasper, perching herself against the desk.

"I'll ask again. What are you doing here?"

"I don't have to answer to you, child."

"Maybe not. Hmm," she trailed off in thought. "Perhaps you are here for some rare potion ingredients? Or to check up on Junior? There doesn't seem to be a reason to impersonate or inhibit Professor Snape otherwise. After all, isn't he on your side?" She smirked at the flash of surprise in his eyes. He hid it almost immediately, before responding.

"Once again. Do not speak of things you do not understand. Let me go."

"You're armed. You can let yourself go whenever you please. I just wanted you to listen to me for once. In case you didn't infer from my lack of response to your last letter, I'll never join you or the Dark Lord. I have little interest in your views."

"I'm here for a much greater purpose," he spat. "Master sent me to gain information on Crouch's progress. I ran into Snape and took the opportunity. If you hadn't barged in when you did, I would have confronted him."

"Hmm. Well, by my estimation, everything is on schedule since Harry was entered into the tournament. From what little I know of the Dark Lord, he wouldn't have sent a second spy to Hogwarts, especially when his own health depends on you. That means you came for another reason." It was quiet for a few more moments, before he spoke again.

"I wanted to see you, daughter. I wanted to see how you have grown." She scoffed.

"You've hardly cared about me before. Why start now?" She flicked her wand again, and he was released from his bonds.

"If you really wish to know, my life is better without you in it. I'm happy and healthy. I have friends, and am one of the top students in my class. I would suggest you leave before Professor Snape wakes up. He has a fireplace through there that has Floo. You can take that to the Leaky Cauldron and Apparate from there." He looked at her suspiciously.

"You're just going to let me go? Why?"

"Because you're not supposed to be here anyways. The Dark Lord must rise before he can fall. Now go. Before I change my mind."

He looked at her uncertainly for a few moments, before striding out of the room into the living quarters. Instead of the whoosh of flames, however, Silver heard his footsteps before he lifted her up into a hug. She froze, before she heard him speak.

"My dear Silver, I am sorry that I am not the father you deserve. You've grown beautifully, and I hope to see you again before it all ends once more." Silver returned his embrace, inhaling his scent. After another moment, she pushed him away gently and led him to the fireplace. Taking a deep breath, she whispered, "I'm sorry."

Before he had the chance to ask, she Obliviated him and pushed him into the Floo. She then removed the spells on the corridor, before striding over to the magically concealed cupboard. After a moment of deliberation, she muttered a few words and the spells fell, allowing her to open the door. Inside, an unconscious Professor Snape lay. He had a clear bump on his head. Summoning a pack of ice, she muttered, "Rennervate."

A soft groan came from her Professor, before his eyes flitted open. As they slowly came into focus, Silver spoke quietly.

"Professor? Are you all right?"

"What happened?"

"I'm not entirely sure, sir. I was late to our appointment and saw the cupboard door ajar. I could feel some magic on it, so I investigated and saw you passed out on the floor. Here." She handed him the ice pack and offered her hand to help him up. He took it, before wincing slightly at the pain in his head.

"There was no one here?"

"Correct, sir. If someone knocked you out, they were long gone by the time I came in. It does look like the Floo's been used, though, if the soot on the ground is any indication. Would you like me to fetch Madame Pomfrey? Or the Headmaster?"

"No, no. I'll be fine." He summoned a couple of potions, which he downed with a grimace.

"Would you like me to come back later? I'm not entirely sure why you wanted to see me, after all."

"No. It will not take much longer. I do not believe your behavior was because of a malevolent force, as I have not observed any additional change."

"Well, that's because I stopped wearing the necklace."

"Necklace?" He eyed her curiously.

"Yes. I had found it while cleaning the Black Manor. Foolishly, I began wearing it, which caused my mood swings."

"I see. Would you be willing to bring this object to me for inspection?"

"I.." she hesitated, before her face flushed in embarrassment. "I no longer have it."

"Oh? If you had a Dark object, Miss Sullivan, we wouldn't want it falling into the wrong hands. Where did you put it?"

"I don't actually know. I had been pacing the seventh floor, angry about something or another when a door appeared in front of me. Inside, there were stacks upon stacks of items. Years worth of lost or misplaced items. The necklace burned my neck when I approached a Darkness Detector, which caused me to rip it off and fling it across the room. I didn't see where it landed."

"You left after that? Without looking for this necklace that had been around your neck for at least a month?"

"Yes, sir. See, I had been overwhelmed with lightness as soon as I removed the locket and wanted to apologize to my friends for my behavior." Snape glowered at her for a moment, before dismissing her. Before Silver left, she dared ask one more question.

"Can dark objects hold the wearer's memories?"

"Depending on the function of the Dark object, it can. Why?"

"The necklace returned a memory I hadn't known I had. Thank you. Have a good night, sir. I hope your head recovers swiftly."

With that, Silver departed Professor Snape's office, closing the door softly behind her.


	55. Chapter 55

**Chapter 55**

 **A/N Thank you for all the lovely reviews. They're much appreciated. Here's another chapter, let me know what you think. :) Also, I've got a good idea where I want the story to go, but is it going at an alright pace? A part of me feels like it's being dragged out, though that may just be my own perception.**

 **Disclaimer: Still don't own Harry Potter. That's JKR.**

"Silver? You all right?" Neville's voice pulled Silver out of her thoughts.

"Yeah." The two were studying in the kitchens, alone for once. The only sounds were of the house-elves bustling about, cleaning up after dinner.

"How'd the meeting with Snape go?"

"Decent, I suppose..." Silver's voice was slightly hesitant. At Neville's curious look, she took a deep breath.

"If I tell you something, can you promise not to tell anyone? It's been bothering me."

"Of course." His immediate response was reassuring to Silver, though she still eyed him hesitantly.

"Can I ask you a personal question first, though? It relates to what I want to tell you." At his nod, she continued. "How do you handle your parents' madness? Do they ever have moments of lucidity?"

His face scrunched up in concentration, before he caught her eye.

"Not exactly. Mum recognizes me sometimes, or at least I think she does. She gives me gum wrappers sometimes, paired with a smile. I like to think it's her way of saying I love you. Dad's a bit worse off, though sometimes he'll look at me or Gran like he knows it's us. It's tough sometimes, especially on their bad days. But I just remember that they loved me, and that their actions saved many lives. And I look forward to the better days. It makes the worse ones more bearable."

It was quiet as Silver grabbed his hand. He had started to tear up slightly, and the touch comforted him. After a moment, he broke the silence.

"Why are you asking about my parents? You never have before." Silver sighed in response, before starting at a point beyond Neville's head. When she spoke again, she fixed her eyes back onto his face.

"I told you my father's a bit mad, yes?" At Neville's nod, she continued. "I saw him today for the first time since I was six."

"What? How?" Neville's voice was laced with shock and confusion.

"Erm, well now that's the secret bit. He had snuck into the castle claiming to be checking on the Dark Lord's plans. He knocked Professor Snape out and used Polyjuice potion to impersonate him. Coincidentally, it aligned with the time I was scheduled to meet with Professor Snape."

"Is the Professor all right?" Silver blinked in surprise, not expecting the question.

"Yes, he was all right when I left him. Had a nasty bump to the head, but assured me he'd be better with time. Anyways, I figured out my father was impersonating Snape and had the chance to question him."

"How did you figure it out?"

"Father can't capture the essence that is Severus Snape. Plus, I tested his knowledge with something I knew Snape knew about but Father wouldn't."

"Crafty."

"Thanks." Silver paused, gathering her thoughts. "Father was rather cold, judgmental, and angry towards me. Which is what I expected, since he had always been that way unless I did something that pleased him. He claimed he was there on the Dark Lord's orders, but I think it was just an excuse to see me. His slight delusions of grandeur and superiority are what make him mad. What I did not expect, however, was the hug good-bye. It was odd. I've been thinking about the time with him since then, wondering if the hug was just a lapse back into a remorseful father or if it was some twisted way of trying to gain my trust. I hate not knowing." It was quiet as Neville digested her words. Silver sipped her hot chocolate as she waited.

"What happened after that?"

"I erased his memory and threw him into the Floo to the Leaky Cauldron."

"You can do Memory Charms?" His eyes were wide and face one of pure shock. "That's NEWT level."

"Well, it was my first time casting it on someone. Even if it didn't fully work, there isn't too much harm done if he was only there to see me and not some plot to overthrow the school or something."

"I wouldn't doubt if it were successful or not. I'd just be worried that it'd be too powerful. Remember how Lockhart ended up? He's in the same ward as my parents."

"Oh really? I didn't know that. Hmm. I really do not believe it was overly powerful. I just wanted him to forget coming to Hogwarts, not his entire life of accomplishments."

"What makes you think his hug or pronouncement was an attempt to manipulate you?"

"I didn't mention a pronouncement."

"Right, well, you wouldn't be bothered if it was just a hug. I figured he said he was proud of you or something."

"I forget sometimes that you can be intuitive at times, Nev. It's a nice thing to see." He flushed slightly at her words.

"I thought he might be trying to manipulate me since it was an entire shift in behavior. It was unsettling."

"I'm sorry." Neville smiled at her reassuringly, taking her hand again. "If it helps, I don't think he was trying to manipulate you. Perhaps he just had a break in his consuming thoughts or something. Something had to have drove him to Hogwarts to see you. It's those same bouts of kindness that'd have him sending you money over the years, right?"

"Oh. Yes, I suppose that's true. I hadn't even thought of that." It was silent for a few moments. Neville started to read from his textbook again, one hand still holding onto Silver's.

"Neville?" Silver asked quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"For what?" He looked at her quizzically.

"Listening. And the advice. And...not putting pressure on this." She held up their hands. "With anyone else, other than Harry maybe, hand holding would be considered something people who fancy each other do. With you, it's just...comfortable."

"Oh. You're welcome. I'm happy to help." Neville flashed a brilliant smile, before returning to his reading. A moment later, Silver did the same.


	56. Chapter 56

**Chapter 56**

"Care for a game of chess, Ron?"

Ron looked up at the sound of Silver's voice. He had a scowl upon his face, but it cleared considerably once he saw she was alone. Lately she had rarely been seen without someone by her side. The hallway was mostly deserted, aside from a few students milling about. Ron had been starting out the window, apparently lost in thought.

"Here? A bit random of a place for chess, isn't it?"

"Well, yeah. There's an empty classroom down the hall if you don't fancy playing on the bench over there." He studied her for a moment, before shrugging and plopping himself down on the bench next to her. Silver set up the game without a word.

"Where'd you get this set? Seems a bit posh, if you ask me."

"Draco. It's one of his favorite games." Ron eyed the chess set suspiciously, before seeing that Silver gave him white, allowing him to go first. They played in near silence, aside from the move commands. Ron won the first game, before Silver set up for another. Again, they played in near silence, before Silver spoke.

"You're being ridiculous, thinking Harry placed his name in the Goblet."

"Well, I didn't ask for your bloody opinion did I?"

"No. But I'm still giving it. Harry has nothing to gain by being in this tournament." Silver claimed one of his rooks.

"More attention is what it gives him."

"And when has Harry ever wanted that? In case you haven't noticed, the majority of the attention he's attracted is negative. He's being berated for something he didn't do nor has any control over. It doesn't help that his best friend is being a complete arse about it." Silver claimed a knight as she spoke.

"You have no idea how difficult it is being his friend sometimes! Everyone asks about him, what it's like to be his friend, and the questions get more ridiculous every year." Ron's face was getting more flustered the more he talked. "I mean, really. No one bothers getting to know me as anyone other than 'The Boy Who Lived's friend.' And between all my other siblings, he could have at least given me the chance to enter! If only he'd tell me how he did it, I wouldn't be as pissed."

Silver took a bishop, letting him rant a bit before she calmly replied.

"Fred and George are two of the most brilliant minds I have encountered in my life. If they couldn't enter themselves, what makes you think someone who is two years younger and much less skilled would be able to? Think about what you know of Harry. He's your best friend, yet you don't seem to know the basics of his character. If you care about him, observe and learn what's happening around you. You're much more observant than you give yourself credit for, and can do more than anyone expects of you. Ask yourself questions, and don't be afraid of the answers. Checkmate." He looked down at the board in disbelief.

"Play with me anytime you wish. I enjoy the challenge." Silver packed up the pieces in silence, before closing the board and standing. She touched Ron's shoulder once before leaving, heading towards her Common Room. Ron sat there staring after her for several minutes, before doing the same.

Silver was walking to Divination the following day when she spotted several students sporting buttons. She dismissed it, until she saw them flash and read "Potter Stinks" in flashing green ink. Rolling her eyes, she spotted Draco, flanked by his friends.

"Can I have a few buttons?"

"I'm surprised you want them," Draco responded with a smirk. "After all, they speak badly about your boyfriend."

"Not my boyfriend, Draco. Can I have the buttons or not?"

"Sure. Take three, it's all I have on me. Good to see you're supporting our cause." He handed her the buttons, where she examined them. On one side in red ink, it flashed "Support Cedric Diggory- the **real** Hogwarts Champion." When she pressed it, it flashed to the green lettering she saw earlier.

"Impressive bit of magic, Draco. It must have taken you a while to work out the kinks. Putting magic into objects like this isn't easy. I need to get to class. See you later!" She ignored the slight flush to Draco's cheeks at her compliment as she stashed the buttons into her bag.

"I've asked them not to wear them."

"I...yeah. Thanks."

"So..what's on your mind, Harry?"

"The first task...it's dragons."

"I- are you sure?"

"Yes. I know we're not supposed to know, but the other two already know. I-I'm just trying to help."

"Brilliant. Thanks, Harry!"

"Sure, Cedric. Bye."

Silver heard the entire conversation as she walked down the corridor. Belatedly, she realized that she had been walking towards the pair to hear better; thus, she ended up crashing into Cedric. Both of their books crashed to the ground.

"Sorry about that. My head must have been up in the clouds," Silver explained, as she gathered her books. Looking up, she saw Cedric glancing at her with a charming smile on his face.

"It's no problem at all. Neither of us were hurt, right?" She nodded in agreement, noticing that the light from the open corridor hit his face in a way that made him seem angelic.

"You're Cedric, right?"

"I am. You're Silver Sullivan, yeah?"

"Mhm. I'm surprised you know who I am, though."

"I saw the piece from you in the _Prophet_ last year."

"Oh. I had forgotten about that. Glad to have been remembered. Umm, I know we just met, but can I show you something if you're not too busy?" He blinked in surprise, before smiling.

"Sure. What is it?" Silver reached into her bag and pulled out a few cards she had designed, holding them out for Cedric to see.

"I'm trying to get word out that I do drawings or cards upon request. Here are the first few designs I have made." Cedric looked over them, before pausing on a Qudditch themed one.

"I like this one a lot. The others are nice, too, but don't speak to me. I'm guessing you're not showing me for your own amusement?" His eyes were filled with curiosity as he looked up at her.

"Right. I was wondering if you'd be willing to help me acquire business. With your popularity and natural charm, it'd help a lot. You can keep those as a forward payment, if you'd like. I also have business cards if you'd rather just hand those out. I mean, if you decide to help me." Silver smiled brightly, catching the brown-haired Hufflepuff off guard.

"I can't give you any guarantees it'll work, but I definitely don't mind helping out a pretty girl like you," Cedric replied with a wink.

"Brilliant. Thank you, Cedric. Do you want the business cards?"

"Best do it that way. If I don't die in the first Task, can you make me a card in congratulations?"

"But of course. I'd be happy to." Silver handed him a small stack of business cards, with her name, year, house, and crest. She had borrowed the Sullivan coat of arms for the design, though made it more elegant. It also listed her as both an artist and a tutor, which didn't escape Cedric's notice.

"You tutor as well?"

"Yup. Strangely, I haven't gotten any offers for that yet, despite starting it up last year. Anyways, thanks again, Cedric. Good luck in the first Task!" Silver waved before running off, leaving an amused boy in her wake.

The day of the first Task dawned clear and bright. As Silver made her way to the spectator stands, she spotted Ron and Hermione sneaking into the Champions tent and smiled brightly. Since she had talked to Ron, the two boys had amended and worked together to make a strategy for Harry. Silver had assisted in teaching Harry the Summoning Charm, since Lupin had let slip to Harry that she was proficient in them. She had high hopes that the plan would work, though she was curious how the other Champions would handle the task.

A few minutes after Silver settled in her seat, Ron and Hermione joined her, Neville, and Luna. Hermione was muttering angrily about Rita Skeeter catching her hugging Harry for good luck, while Ron just looked grim.

"Welcome to the First Task!" The amplified voice of Ludo Bagman came from the judges table. "The Champions are to collect the Golden Egg from a nest of Dragon eggs. Points will be awarded for creativity and time, while points will be deducted for any eggs damaged. The first Champion to face their dragon is...Cedric Diggory against the Swedish Short Snout!" It was strangely silent as the Short Snout was released from its cage into the arena. Its leg was shackled to a chain, which was attached out of sight. As Cedric walked out, it struck Silver how tiny he looked in comparison to the dragon. She watched attentively as he went about completing the task. He was successful, but his face was burned.

Fleur and Viktor also were successful in retrieving their eggs, before Harry came upon the meanest of the four dragons, the Hungarian Horntail. The majority of the crowd was confused when it appeared that Harry only cast one spell before moving around to dodge the attacks from the dragon. Silver was one of the first to spot the broomstick, and she broke out into a large grin when she did. The crowd awaited with bated breath, watching him dodge the dragon's attacks and snatching the egg up at the last moment. After all the Champions were given their scores, it was determined that Harry and Viktor were tied for first place.

"Harry!" Silver ran up to him as he was walking towards the castle. He was flanked on all sides by his housemates, but Silver pushed her way through until she was in front of him. She hugged him tightly, much to his embarrassment.

"Brilliant job with the Summoning Charm. Sorry about the shoulder," she said with a smile.

"It's all right. We'll be celebrating tonight, for sure. I'll see you later?" Harry was being pushed away from Silver as he said this, swarmed by his housemates.

"Oh. Um, sure. See you. Congratulations, Harry!" Silver just stood there, allowing the crowd to filter around here until she stood alone on the path. With a small sigh, she began heading back to her dorm.

As she was going down the stairs, though, she was grabbed from the side into the hallway of the kitchen.

"Vixen! Where are you going? The party's upstairs." George was looking at her in amusement, with his arms full of snacks. Fred was next to him, arms equally laden with treats.

"I'm not a Gryffindor, remember? I'm not supposed to be in Gryffindor tower, especially when there's a bunch of people around."

"Ah, who cares? You're Harry's friend. I'm sure no one will mind," George replied.

"Yeah, especially if you bring food," Fred added.

"I wasn't invited. Besides, Harry deserves his moment of glory without the attention being diverted to me. I'll just see him tomorrow. But hey, I hope you guys have fun." Silver smiled brightly before retreating down the hallway to the kitchens.

"Melby?"

"Oh, Miss Silver! We just gave some foods to the Misters Weasley. Did you need more?"

"That would be nice, but can I ask if any Hufflepuffs have gotten food tonight?"

"Not that I know of, Miss Silver."

"Would a group of elves be able to bring them a spread? They should be celebrating tonight, and I'd hate for them to get hungry."

"Of course, Miss Silver! It'll be our pleasure." Silver was given a bag of food for herself, which she took with a smile, but left the elves to their work. She made sure to have Melby deliver the card she made for Cedric with the food.

As she arrived in the Common Room, she was greeted with the majority of the house chattering amongst themselves about the Task. Without saying a word, she dropped the bag of food on the coffee table and went to her dorm, relishing in the delighted sounds of her housemates behind her.


	57. Chapter 57

**Chapter 57**

 **Sorry for the last upload. It reformatted it for some strange reason. *shrugs. I hope to have another chapter up tomorrow, so keep an eye out for it. :) Also, I made some minor adjustments to the last chapter, as I realized I had some incorrect words. Let me know if you spot anything else I may have missed. I have a tendency not to catch it until after the chapter is uploaded.**

 **Thanks for reading! :D**

Once the excitement of the first Task's success dwindled down, the students were presented with something new to occupy their minds: the Yule Ball. The days following the announcement, Silver was accosted with card orders for the less brave souls who wished to have a date. Silver was spending time with Luna in their now usual abandoned classroom when she spoke up.

"Luna, what are you doing for the Christmas holidays?" Luna finished the sentence she was writing before speaking.

"Oh, Daddy needs my help harvesting the Ginkleberries this year. He tells me they're getting a bit out of hand, and the Winglemuffs are going to be nesting so they'll need someone to carry them to their mate." She resumed writing, her quill scratching slightly against the parchment. Silver watched her in silence for a few moments, studying her face before sighing slightly.

"All right. I'm glad your dad trusts you enough to handle such volatile creatures. Didn't you tell me one once singed his eyebrows off because it wasn't getting fed quickly enough?" Luna hummed in agreement.

Silver resumed working on a new batch of cards, as she had finished her homework during lunch.

"Are you going to attend the ball?" Luna asked, looking at Silver attentively now.

"I would like to, though I do not wish to go alone."

"You can always ask one of the boys. I don't think Harry or Ron will get the nerve to ask who they want to go with, so you'd be doing them a favor. Neville will probably ask someone." It was quiet for a few moments. The silence was turning awkward, which Luna was oblivious to, before Silver spoke.

"I had actually wanted to ask you." Silver looked at Luna nervously, before continuing, "But you already have plans so I'll have to ask someone else. I know how important family is to you."

It was quiet as Luna stared unnervingly at Silver. Much as when the first met, Silver stared back, searching her best friend's face cautiously.

"Do you think Millicent would say yes if you asked?"

"Erm, no. What makes you think I'd ask her?"

"I've seen her staring at you before. I thought you knew."

"She stares at me?" Silver's eyes widened slightly at the information, for she had thought Millicent had stopped watching her long ago.

"Yes. You should ask her."

"I can try, but I'm fairly certain she'll say no. She has the pressure of her family to live up to, and it may harm her reputation to go as my date."

"That's her loss, then. I'm sure you can find a nice girl to go with, if she says no."

"Thanks, Luna." Silver smiled a bit, before beginning to collect her things. "I actually think I'll go ask her now, if that's ok? It's Tuesday, and I know where to find her."

"Things will work out for you, Silver. I'll see you tomorrow; have a pleasant night." Silver nodded and hugged Luna before bounding out of the room towards Millicent's color change furniture room.

When Silver entered, her eyes widened at the sight. There was waltz music coming out of an old fashioned gramophone in the corner, and Millicent was dancing with a tall boy with broad shoulders. Once the rotation brought his face towards the door, Silver saw it was Magnus. He spotted her before gently pulling Millicent to a stop.

"Silver? What are you doing here?" Millicent's surprised voice carried over the music.

"I-I wanted to talk to you. But I see you're busy, so I guess I'll leave." Silver turned around and exited, walking briskly down the hall. She was trying to hold back tears.

"Silver, wait!" Millicent ran to catch up to her, and pulled her into a darkened hallway. Millicent's eyes widened when she saw Silver on the brink of tears.

"Hey, what's wrong?" She grasped Silver by the shoulders, preventing her escape. It took Silver a moment to compose herself enough to speak.

"Are you going to the ball with Magnus?"

"Yeah, I am. He asked me yesterday. When I mentioned I'm not the best dancer, he offered to teach me." Silver was no longer on the brink of crying, though her emotions were still all over the place. Through sheer will, Silver carefully composed her face into a neutral one.

"Good for you. I hope you have fun. I should go and let you get back to the lesson." Silver tried to push past Millicent, but she held tight.

"No. Not until you tell me why you wanted to talk to me. And why you're doing that weird neutral face you get when you don't want anyone to know what you're feeling. I haven't seen that face in a long time." Silver looked up into Millicent's eyes before looking down.

"I wanted to ask if you would like to go to the ball with me as my date," Silver muttered.

"Oh." Millicent's voice was laced with shock and surprise. Silver hadn't known that much emotion could be conveyed with one word, and looked up at Millicent cautiously. Her jaw was slack as she looked at Silver curiously. Her grip on Silver's shoulders had loosened considerably, so Silver could escape if she wished. However, Silver stayed out of curiosity for what would happen next.

"I-I didn't know you liked me that way," Millicent said, after an incredibly pregnant pause.

"Liar," Silver whispered, staring into Millicent's face. Silver stepped back as she registered the fear in Millicent's eyes at her reply. "I'll find someone else to go with, so I hope you have a pleasant time with Magnus. He seems like a descent guy, from what I can tell. Have a good night, Millie. I'll see you later." Without another word, Silver turned and walked away, leaving a slightly shell-shocked Millicent in her wake.

Several days passed, and Silver was no closer to having a date for the ball than Harry or Ron. Neville, however, had secured a date with Ginny. He seemed nervous when he told Silver who he was taking, until Silver tackle-hugged him with joy over his bravery. Hermione had been asked by Viktor several days prior, though Silver had been sworn to secrecy. Viktor had evidently wanted to surprise everyone, and also allow Hermione some peace before the ball from his fans.

Both Harry and Ron were each staring longingly at their respective desires: Harry at Cho Chang, and Ron at Fleur Delcour.

"Do you reckon she'd go with me if I asked her?" Ron asked, his eyes slightly dazed.

"Probably not, unless you grow some charm out of your arse," Silver replied cheekily.

"Oi! I can be perfectly charming, thank you very much."

"Oh yeah? Prove it. Fleur just left the table. Alone." Silver gestured vaguely in the direction Fleur had gone. Ron immediately shot up and ran across the corridor, only to crash into a gaggle of Beauxbatons in his haste. There was laughter in the air, as Ron's face turned beet red. The crash had alerted Fleur's attention to him, where he then asked her to the ball. Loudly. Fleur turned her nose up at him and promptly said no, insulting him on his behavior.

As Ron returned to their bench, he was clearly cross.

"Shut it," he muttered darkly to Harry. At Silver's grin, he retorted. "I'd like to see you do better."

"All right," Silver replied, standing and crossing over to where Fleur was still standing amongst a group of friends.

From where the Gryffindors sat, they saw Silver throw a flirtatious smile towards Fleur, who smiled indulgently back. The two conversed for a bit, before Fleur shook her head apologetically. Silver smiled in return, before turning back to her friends and sitting down.

"How'd it go?" Neville asked curiously.

"Decently, I suppose. At least she didn't laugh in my face when I asked her. Said that I wasn't the first girl to ask, but she prefers men so ultimately rejected me because of that. I'm not too bothered by it; I knew it was a long shot." Both Ron and Harry were staring at her incredulously, before Harry dared to ask.

"Would you have gone with her if she said yes?"

"Yeah. I might get bored talking to her after a bit, since she seems rather vain, but it'd be an interesting experience. At the very least, I'd be able to practice my French a bit more. I'm rusty. Oh, before I forget again. Here." Silver pulled out the buttons she took from Malfoy, and handed them to Hermione, Ron, and Neville. The words on the buttons were different than the ones Malfoy had: on the first side, it read "Support Potter and Diggory," and when they were pressed, it read "Hogwarts for the win!"

"I figured we may as well have some sort of support for you, Harry. Since the first Task ended, though, I haven't seen the Potter Stinks badges around as much. It took me awhile to reverse the charms on these enough to adjust the wording. Draco did a pretty good job with protecting it from alteration."

"Thanks, Silver. These are brilliant," Harry replied with a smile, before his eyes unknowingly trailed back to Cho.

"You may want to look elsewhere for a date, Harry." At his curious look, she continued, "Cedric told me he asked her yesterday."

"I didn't realize you two were so chummy," Ron replied bitterly.

"We're not. He wanted more business cards to hand out. Apparently doing so allows him to connect with other students more than it did before. He asked me to the ball first, but I declined."

"Really? Why did you say no? Then Harry could have asked Cho and everyone would be happy. Except me, that is," Ron asked angrily.

"Because I do not want to go with a guy unless I'm unable to acquire a date. How about we make a deal, Weasley? If I'm unable to get a date by Monday, I'll go with you as friends. We can have a good time." Ron's nose scrunched in confusion at her words, before something clicked.

"You're trying to get a date with a girl?"

"Yeah. Was that not obvious?"

"I didn't know you were gay," Ron excused.

"Well, you know now. So, do we have a deal?"

"Hold on," Harry interjected. "I'm the one who needs a date more than Ron, as I'm expected to dance as a Champion."

"Oh. That's a fair point. If Hermione didn't already have a date, I'd suggest she go with you. And Luna is unable to go to the ball at all since she's needed at home. Ginny's already going with Neville, so I'm not entirely sure who you else you can ask."

"Why not figure it out after the challenge is complete?" Hermione offered. "That way, you can see if you actually would be going with one of the boys."

"Hmm. Yeah, that's probably the best idea. I can also scope out the remainder of available girls for you, Harry, and let you know my findings?"

"Why not just go with Harry if you can't find a date in time?" Ron asked, completely confused.

"Because I already chose you, Ron. Now, I have to go meet up with the Slytherin girls. It's sleepover night. I'll see you guys later."

 **A/N Ginkleberries and Winglemuffs aren't canon in the least, just things I made up. Let me know what you think of the chapter. I'm sorry it's been a while. Thanks for reading. :)**


	58. Chapter 58

**Chapter 58**

Silver approached the kitchens, at the insistence of her roommates, to collect more snacks. It was harder for them to stock up on food with no Hogsmeade visits, and Silver's chocolate stash was dangerously low. As she rounded the corner of the bright corridor, she crashed into someone. Before she could stumble backwards, she was grabbed around the waist securely. Looking up, she found midnight blue eyes watching her curiously. Silver was mesmerized by them, and the two of them stayed in that position for several seconds. As Silver came back into herself, she observed that her savior was a honey-haired girl. Adjusting her weight, Silver stood completely upright, but the girl didn't shift her arm away. Instead, she stared at Silver with an unnerving intensity.

The girl was nearly a head taller than Silver, and her face was rounded on the cheeks, giving her a slightly childish appearance. However, she was clearly not a child, from the way her face was adorned with barely noticeable make-up aside from bright pink lips to the way she held Silver steadily. Her eyes flitted down Silver's body and back up to her face before she finally loosened her grip.

"Are you all right?" The girl's voice was slightly accented, but not as heavily as Fleur's.

"I-" Silver broke off and cleared her throat softly before beginning again. "I am. Thank you."

The girl watched as Silver's face began to heat up, before giving an amused smile.

"Are you sure? You look rather flushed."

"Um, that's because it's rather warm down here, isn't it?"

"I think it's rather chilly. The whole castle is quite drafty, in my opinion. Nothing like our school."

The girl eyed Silver with more amusement, flicking her eyes down Silver's body once more. Silver became increasingly conscious that she had left the dorm in the silk pajamas Pansy had thrown her way. Her sandy blond hair was cascading down her back in alluring curls, since the other girls had insisted on practicing for the Yule Ball. As she became aware of her appearance, her face flushed even further.

"Erm. Perhaps I'm just used to the chill, then. Our common room lies underneath the lake, after all."

"Really? Do you get to see fascinating creatures flitting by through the windows?" The girl's eyes suddenly lit up with excitement, causing Silver to infectiously smile back at her.

"Sometimes, though at night the windows are shuttered."

"Hm, well I hope we cover more interesting creatures in either Defense Against the Dark Arts or Care of Magical Creatures, though the half-giant teacher isn't as...eloquent as he could be in his teaching methods."

"Professor Hagrid's always been enthusiastic about a range of creatures, though he's a bit oblivious to the danger he can put us in." Silver shuffled her feet for a few moments, as the silence stretched out between the two. Surreptitiously, Silver looked the other girl over. She was also in her pajamas, with a heavy winter coat thrown over her shoulders. The red of her pajamas made her eyes pop a bit when Silver glanced back up at the girl's face. The girl smirked at Silver, though not unkindly.

"I once pet an Augrey," Silver blurted.

"Really? They're difficult to approach. How did you manage that?"

"Professor Hagrid had a lesson on them. I decided to start drawing it, and it didn't seem to mind my presence as I approached. It stared at me the entire lesson, then allowed me to stroke its feathers before taking off for the forest again."

"Wow," the girl breathed. It was silent once more. Silver felt the need to continue with her mission to the kitchens, but didn't want to leave this captivating girl without at least knowing her name. However, she didn't have the courage to ask, as the girl was staring at her once more. She didn't seem in any hurry to leave, despite the late hour.

"Wh-what brings you down here?" Silver finally asked.

"The kitchens are down this way, no? One of the Hogwarts students mentioned it, though I am having trouble finding it."

"I-." Silver broke off, realizing what she had been about to say and changing course. "Perhaps they are, but it's supposed to be an in-school secret. Sorry."

"Ah, so you do know where it is!" The girl smiled triumphantly.

"I may know where it is, but as I said, it's for Hogwarts students only. You'll have to wait for tomorrow's breakfast like usual."

The girl pouted slightly, before moving imperceptibly closer to Silver. Silver backed up until she hit the wall.

"There isn't anything I can do to change your mind?" The girl whispered, her breath hitting Silver's face. Silver swallowed audibly, aware of how her heartbeat sped up. She had trouble focusing, as the girl was studying her face intently, unhurried.

"Be my date for the ball?" Silver asked, eyes locked with the girl's. The girl chuckled, before she read something in Silver's eyes that made her freeze and back out of Silver's personal space.

"You really want to go to the ball with me? We don't even know each other's names."

"Silver Sullivan." Silver held her hand out. The girl stared at the hand for a moment, before offering her own.

"Audrey Blanchard." The two shook hands, before Silver pushed off the wall slightly, into Audrey's personal space.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mademoiselle Blanchard. Come find me by the main stairs sometime this week to discuss dress colors. I wouldn't want us to clash, would you?" Impulsively, she went on her tiptoes and kissed Audrey on the cheek before disappearing. Audrey stared after her, only realizing a moment later that she hadn't actually said yes, and that she still didn't know where the kitchens were.

"Cedric!" Cedric turned as Silver's voice rang from down the hall, waiting for her to catch up.

"Hey there, Silver. What's up?"

"Do you know any girls that still need dates to the ball? I'm looking for Ron and Harry, as I've already got a date of my own."

"Hmm." Cedric was lost in thought, walking slowly down the hallway with Silver beside him. She had caught him before lunchtime the day after the run-in with Audrey.

"I'm pretty sure all the Hogwarts girls have dates, at least the ones who want them. Granted, my knowledge only extends to the sixth and seventh years. Perhaps someone from the visiting schools could help you. Sorry."

"That's all right. I appreciate any help. Are you excited to go with Cho?"

"It'll be fun, for sure. And who's the lucky bloke you're going with?" Cedric winked.

"Her name's Audrey, from Beauxbatons. If I didn't get a date by Monday, I would have gone with Ron. Hence, why I'm trying to get him a date."

"Oh. Well, I'm glad you found someone to go with. I'll see you there?" They had arrived at the Great Hall.

"Sure. Save me a dance?" Cedric nodded, before heading to the Hufflepuff table.

Later that same day, Silver was wandering the halls alone when she spotted a girl from Durmstrang reading. Her back was propped against the wall, but didn't seem at all uncomfortable. Her long brown hair hid half of her face, which was completely enraptured with what she was reading. She was muttering slightly to herself, clearly not a silent reader. As Silver drew closer, she noted that the girl was reading _Qudditch Through the Ages_ , which was one of Harry's favorites. The girl also had a Chudley Cannons pin on the inside of her black jacket, visible only because of the shocking contrast.

"Have you reached the part about the formation of the Holyhead Harpies?"

The girl dropped the book, which landed with a soft thud upon her lap. Her eyes were wide and on Silver's face.

"Oops. Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," Silver assured, taking a seat across from the girl. The girl said nothing, but picked the book back up and bookmarked her place before placing it back on her lap.

"I'm Silver, fourth year Slytherin." She held her hand out to the girl expectantly. The girl stared at it for a moment, before hesitantly taking it.

"Ana," she replied. Her voice was gruff, though whether it was nerves or her natural timbre eluded Silver. Once the two shook hands, Ana was quick to let go, leaving Silver perplexed. She ignored it for the time being.

"How are you liking Hogwarts?"

"It is nice, though much bigger than Durmstrang." Ana's voice was still lower than most girl's, but it lost its gruffness. There was a slight accent in its place, though not nearly as noticeable as Viktor's.

"Are the courses challenging enough for you? I'm sure our Professors teach in a different way than yours."

"It is acceptable. Not too much different than home, though they would never allow a goblin teach there. Professor Flitwick is knowledgeable, which contradicts what I have been taught."

"Professor Flitwick is a Master in his field, but is always willing to learn new things. Charms work is especially fickle, as there are new discoveries every year. Hogwarts is much more accepting of students of different backgrounds or races than other schools, though it's not free of adversary. Professor Hagrid was a student here, once upon a time."

"Really? That would explain his enthusiasm for magic, when most giants shy away from it."

"Well he was raised by his father, from what he's told me. Loved him to bits, until he passed. Probably didn't learn too much in the way of giant culture, though I've never asked him about it."

"Why would you ask? We do not speak of personal lives with our teachers, unless it directly impacts our studies."

"Hagrid began teaching last year, after Professor Kettleburn retired. I was friends with him before he became my teacher, so he's always open to conversing with me. Unless he's trying to hide something, which happens sometimes since I'm not privy to every secret in his life." Ana was silent for a few moments, staring down at her lap. She was restlessly thumbing her book, as if she wanted to resume reading.

"Have you always been a Cannons fan?" Silver asked, breaking the silence.

"Hm? Oh, yes. Ever since I was a child, I've followed their progress. I was fortunate to see a match a few years ago. It was one of the few games they've won. Are you a fan of theirs?"

"Not me. One of my friends, Ron, is an avid fan. If you get him talking about them, or even Quidditch in general, he can go for hours."

"That's nice." It was silent once more. Ana went back to twitching restlessly. Her eyes kept flitting to Silver's face, looking for something.

"Is there something the matter? If you want to go back to your book, I can leave." Ana searched her face for a few moments before replying.

"It's just- you look a lot like one of our former Professors. He taught Charms, before he left on some mysterious journey. Headmaster Karkoff was incredibly vague on the reason for his departure."

"Was the Professor's name Jasper Sullivan?" Ana's eyes widened slightly, before she nodded.

"That'd explain it, I suppose. Jasper's my father, though I haven't seen him in a long time. He always told me I looked more like Mum, though. I think I have his hair color and eyes."

"Oh. I didn't know Jas- erm, Professor Sullivan had a daughter. I didn't think he was old enough to have a kid your age, anyways. He looked so young." Silver raised an eyebrow at Ana's slip of tongue.

"He always liked to maintain a youthful appearance, from what I remember. Were you two close?"

"Erm." Ana blushed fiercely, which brought strike contrast to her fair skin.

"Oh, Merlin, don't tell me you slept with him!" Silver exclaimed, flinching in horror.

"No, no, nothing like that!" Ana reassured, grabbing Silver's arm to prevent her escape. Once sure that Silver wasn't leaving, she let go.

"I fancied him, though. He was kind to me, and always graced me with a smile. I never had problems doing small favors for him, as long as he smiled at me like that." Ana let out a contented sigh.

Silver snorted, causing Ana's eyes to snap back to her.

"Jasper only does things when it benefits himself. I guess playing your emotions was a bit of a power play for him."

"How would you know? He'd been at Durmstrang for years, without any mention of you. Jasper is a good man!"

"Do you know _why_ he hadn't mentioned me? You were his student, and no matter how close you thought the two of you were, he'd never share information someone could use against him. His standing at the school would surely plummet if the staff found out he abandoned his only daughter. At least I now know where he got the money he sent me every few years. I kept thinking he was taking from the family account, but if he had a job, it would leave more money for emergency situations."

Ana was silent as she absorbed Silver's words. Several times she began to speak, before shaking her head and keeping silent. Her face displayed an array of emotions, before settling on stoic. Her eyes were still questioning, though as she watched Silver, it faded to compassion.

"I thought I knew him, as well as a student could know a teacher. But if he really left you as a kid, that's pretty cold. Especially if he kept sending you money, since that means he knew where you were, but didn't care enough to be there for you."

"You said he taught Charms?"

"Yes. It's my favorite subject. Not only because he was teaching it. Charms work is fascinating to deconstruct."

"Hmm, I suppose it it. I like Transfiguration best, though I'm pretty good at all of my subjects."

It was silent for a few minutes. Ana nervously tucked her hair behind her left ear, revealing more of her face to Silver. Her face was slightly rounded, and had a homely look about her. There was a small scar just below her ear the size of her thumb. Without thinking, Silver brought her hand to the scar and traced it lightly. Ana flinched but didn't move away.

"Sorry," Silver muttered, moving her hand away. "I don't see scars often, so I was a bit fascinated. My friend Remus has quite a few, though I don't think he'd let me touch them. I forget that not everyone likes to be touched."

"I understand. I'm not usually that jumpy, but I really wasn't expecting your touch. I've never had a girl touch my face casually like that either."

"Well, I went on instinct rather than thought. Do you have someone special in your life?"

"Um, no I don't. I don't fancy girls either, if that was your angle."

"Oh, I'm not interested in you as anything more than a friend." Silver flashed a smile, glad of the opening she was given.

"Although, if you're looking for a date to the ball, Ron, the Cannons fan I mentioned earlier, is looking for one."

"Do you think he'd want to go with me? I'm nothing special."

"You're a Cannons fan, you're not ugly, and you're willing to go with him. I think he'd be plenty interested. I will warn you though, he can be a bit...insensitive and boorish at times. He's still in the process of growing up. He's got a good heart, though." Ana was silent for a moment, considering.

"Ok. Sure, I'll go with him. Can I meet him before the ball though? It'd be rather awkward if we only meet in our formal wear."

"Of course! Did you want to meet him today, or some other time?"

"I think tomorrow would be better. Eleven, in the foyer?"

"Perfect. I'll see you tomorrow, Ana!" Silver bound down the hall, before coming back.

"Do you know anyone else who needs a date? Harry needs one too, and I'd feel bad if I only manage to get one for Ron."

"Harry, as in the Champion?"

"Yeah. A few girls had asked him, but he's incredibly awkward when it comes to girls and scared them all off."

"I'll see if my roommate wants to go with him. If she does, I'll bring her with me tomorrow."

"Great! Thanks again, Ana. See you tomorrow." Silver flashed a brilliant smile her way, before skipping off. Ana began reading again with a small smile upon her face.


	59. Chapter 59

**Chapter 59**

"You...got us dates?" Harry asked, perplexed. Harry, Ron, and Silver were in the foyer awaiting Ana and possibly her roommate. Silver had asked the boys to meet her there after spotting them goofing off in the library, distracting Hermione and Neville.

"Yeah. As long as Ana's roommate agrees to be yours."

"And you've got a date with a Beauxbatons girl?" Ron asked incredulously.

"Yes. Is that so difficult to believe?"

Ron just stared at Silver a bit grumpily before muttering, "You get a date with a pretty French girl."

Silver was about to respond when, from across the hall, her name was called. Looking around, Silver spotted Audrey drifting towards her with a determined look upon her face. Before she knew what was happening, Audrey started speaking rapid French at Silver, getting more hysterical by the second.

Silver listened intently, waiting until Audrey paused for a breath, before grasping Audrey's hand. She stopped abruptly, seemingly shocked out of her state by Silver's touch. In French, Silver spoke.

"Why are you ranting about me being dishonest? I asked you to meet me here sometime during the week. Sure, I didn't wait for confirmation for us going together before stating that, but I thought you were going to agree. Was I wrong?"

"No, no. You didn't tell me that you were friends with the Champion. I can't go to the ball with someone who's friends with him!"

"Why not? Just because he's my friend doesn't mean...wait. You're Fleur's friend?"

"Yes. She's my best friend and we've been roommates for years. It would be...dishonest if I were to go with a friend of the competition." Silver stared at her for a moment before bursting out laughing. Audrey looked offended, before confusion graced her features.

"I'd never share anything with you or Fleur about Harry's stragety or anything. And I wouldn't accept anything from you in regards to the tournament. I wanted to go with you because you are beautiful and the first girl to leave me flustered and tongue tied, not because you're friends with the Beauxbatons Champion."

"Oh." Audrey's face flushed a pretty pink, before she spoke again. "My dress is a pale pink. Wear something that coordinates, but isn't the same. I'll see you later." She began to walk away, before Silver stopped her.

"Don't be afraid to talk to me before the ball, if you'd like. I-" Silver broke off with a blush before switching to English again. "I would enjoy the company. And perhaps you could help me brush up on my French." Audrey nodded, before taking Silver's hand and placing a kiss upon it and bidding her farewell. Silver watch Audrey walk off, lost in thought.

"What in the world was that all about?" Ron asked.

"A misunderstanding. Audrey thought I had asked her to the ball to get insider information on Fleur, rather than my own interest."

" _That_ was Audrey? Bloody hell, she's fit."

"Yes, and she's _my_ date. So bugger off. Oh look, here comes Ana."

Ana approached the trio with a short red-brown haired girl by her side. Ana's hair was slightly tied back from her face, allowing it to be seen. The other girl's hair fell in sweeping curls down to her shoulders. She graced them all with a warm smile.

"Hi, Ana," Silver greeted. She placed her hand gently on Ana's shoulder, before turning to the boys.

"Ron, this is Ana. Ana, this is Ron." Ron was staring at Ana for a moment too long before he loudly responded.

"Hi there, I'm Ron!" Silver flinched as Ron's face turned tomato red. Ana chuckled slightly, before holding out her hand to him.

"I know, Silver said that. I hear you're a Chudley Cannons fan?"

"Yeah! They're the best. Did you know that-" He went on to describe a whole bunch of facts about the team, which Ana took in grace. She veered him away from the rest of the group before joining in on the conversation, inputting her own facts. All traces of the nervousness she had with Silver the day before had disappeared.

"Hi. I'm Harry." Harry held his hand out to the other girl, who took it without hesitation.

"I'm Katrina. But you can call me Kat." She then shook Silver's hand before focusing on Harry once more.

"I enjoyed watching you in the first Task. It was quite ingenious, using a Summoning Charm like that. I'm not a great flier, but I've always loved watching Quidditch."

"Thank you. I-I had some help practicing it. The charm, not the flying. That comes naturally."

"All right. Do you have a favorite subject?"

Silver left the boys alone with their dates, as they appeared to be getting along nicely. She spotted Audrey on a bench not too far down the hallway, conversing amicably with Fleur. As she turned to head to the Room of Requirement to read in the family library, she spotted a head of platinum blond hair walking away from the foyer. Jogging slightly to catch up, she found Draco talking to Pansy.

"Oh, Draco! Of course I'll go with you!" Pansy was nearly simpering, which drew a reluctant smile from Draco. Pansy kissed him on the cheek before happily walking away to catch up with Daphne and Tracy, who immediately screeched after Pansy spoke. Draco looked at the trio incredulously before spotting Silver, who was had begun walking towards him again.

"If you're coming to ask me to the ball, Sullivan, you're too late." Draco gave his trademark smirk.

"Nah. I saw that you asked Pansy. I'm happy for you." Silver gave a smile, before indicating that she wanted to walk with him. He fell into step with her a moment later, and the two began wandering the halls.

"I have a date, actually," Silver began. "Her name's Audrey, so I suppose you were right in who I fancy, even if I didn't know it myself." Draco stopped dead in the hallway, a look of shock upon his face.

"I-I actually didn't think you fancied girls. I mean, I knew something was going on between you and Millicent, but then I heard she was going with that bloke from Durmstrang and figured I missed something."

"I didn't think you'd be one to admit that you missed something, Malfoy. I tried asking Millicent first, but Magnus had already asked her, and apparently I had misread what was going on between us. We're just friends." Silver began walking again with Draco next to her. She led the way behind a tapestry in a hidden corridor.

"Is this Audrey girl fit?"

"Incredibly," Silver sighed. "She had me stammering like an idiot. I'm sure that won't be the last time, either."

"That'd be fun to see, you flustered enough to make you less eloquent." Silver lightly shoved him, chuckling at the pout that slipped onto his face when she did so. The two walked a bit longer, the only sound being their footsteps.

"Draco, do you know anything about Occlumency and Legilimency?"

"Not much. Occlumency is the act of shielding one's mind and emotions from others, while Legilimency is the act of penetrating said things in order to manipulate someone. Why?"

"I came across the terms in a few library books, but they're not explicitly spoken about or defined. Do you know anyone who would know more about it? I'm sure the Headmaster would, since he seems knowledgeable about many things, but I'm not sure if he'd give me the answers I need."

"Professor Snape would know, if all you seek is information. As you know, though, he can be a bit prickly about what he shares. Why are you interested?"

"I only wish to learn about it more thoroughly. It seems to be a decently obscure branch of magic. Simple curiosity, Draco."

"All right, then. My parents know a bit more about it as well, though once again, they only share information to certain people."

"Ah, like true Slytherins. Or at least, what most view Slytherins of being."

"You're not much better. You only give information if it's important to you or when you need to extract some from someone. Don't give me that look; you know it's true. I've been paying attention to you for far longer than I'd like."

"Hmph. Well, I may not do it intentionally then. I shall talk to Professor Snape...at some point. It's not terribly urgent so it can wait until classes resume. Besides, I have several students to tutor before the break ends and several orders to fill before Christmas, so I have enough on my plate without adding an additional research project."

"You haven't taken a break since term ended, have you?"

"Of course I have. I don't need to focus on my own schoolwork since I finished the homework already, so I don't have much else to do except those things."

The two arrived back at the Slytherin common room, taking Draco by surprise. He hadn't been paying attention to where she had been leading him.

"I should go, Draco. Thanks for walking with me. Talk to you later?"

Draco nodded, before settling himself before the fire. Silver worked in her room for the rest of the night.


	60. Chapter 60

**Chapter 60**

 **A/N Here's another chapter! Thank you for all the reviews and follows, they're much appreciated.**

 **A bit of warning, there's a slur towards the end of the chapter.**

 **Please read and review! :)**

Christmas Eve arrived before long. Silver delivered the last of the cards and wished her students the best before joining her friends on the grounds. The Gryffindors were having an enthusiastic snowball fight, while Silver looked on in amusement.

"Silver! You really should join us. We can take on the boys together," Ginny called, out of breath from running across the grounds to where Silver sat on a blanket charmed with drying and heating charms.

"I'm having fun drawing you lot. I don't have much practice with moving targets."

"Oh? Can you show me when you're done?"

"Of course, Ginny. I expect Hermione to go in soon enough, with the plans she has for preparations for the ball. Is Gladys helping you with your hair and make-up? I heard she's the beauty queen of the third years."

"Nah, I have it covered. Besides, Gladys went home for the holidays. I'm the only third year Gryffindor who stayed, on account of being the only one with a date."

"That sounds...quiet." Silver paused in her drawing to observe Ginny. She flashed a smile when she caught Silver looking.

"It's not so bad. Hermione lets me crash with her if I get lonely."

"That's nice of her. I bet you're a space heater, if your hair is any indication." Silver winked when Ginny looked back at her in surprise, before they both broke out in giggles.

"Oh, there goes Hermione. I should probably head in, too. Daphne's got plans for my hair, and if I recall correctly, the whole process will take at least an hour between all the gossip."

"I still don't get how you can be friends with those heartless snakes. You're nothing like them."

"I could be; I choose not to. Also, they're far from heartless, which is the only way I can be around them. If their act was truly how they were, you know I'd stay far away from them."

"If you say so. Ready to go?" Ginny stood up before offering her hand to help Silver up.

"Thanks, Ginny." Silver gathered her things and followed Ginny inside, waving enthusiastically to the boys when Ron yelled in protest for their departure.

When the girls reached the main staircase, Silver gave Ginny a hug goodbye before heading down to the dungeons. As she passed the hallway to the kitchen, she spotted Audrey pacing in frustration. Once she got closer, she heard her date muttering in French.

"You know, you might get in trouble for loitering in this area if you're not waiting for someone," Silver stated, causing Audrey to start in surprise.

"Me? Loiter? As if," Audrey replied with a smile, before approaching Silver. Her smile turned slightly mischievous once she got Silver backed into a wall again.

"You never did tell me where the kitchens were, mi amor," Audrey stated. Silver began to heat up at her tone and the term of endearment.

"I-" Silver broke off, looking downward to avoid Audrey's gaze. "I don't see why you need to know," she muttered.

"I have an insatiable sweet tooth. Madame Maxine frowns upon sweets, believing them to be unfitting for her beautiful students."

"You could have just asked," Silver replied, reaching into her bag. She offered a few chocolate bars to Audrey, whose eyes had widened comically before she pushed off the wall.

"You always carry chocolate?" Audrey took a milk chocolate bar and unwrapped it.

"Yes. I find it to be an invaluable tool when trying to make friends." She smiled at Audrey's soft exclamation when she bit a piece off the bar.

"You don't need to corner me into a wall to flirt with me, you know," Silver commented, moving away and heading back towards the stairwell.

"And you don't have to allow me to corner you if you don't like it," the older girl replied with a cheeky smile.

"Let's hope you dance better than you flirt, Miss Blanchard. I'll see you tonight." Silver shot the other girl a smile before departing, leaving the French girl frustrated that she couldn't get her date to reveal where the kitchens were.

"She looks beautiful." Silver heard Padma Patil whisper in awe to her sister and turned to see Hermione coming down the stairs, periwinkle dress flowing elegantly behind her. Her hair was sleek and half up, framing her face with pretty curls. When Silver caught her eye, Hermione's already radiant smile brightened even more.

"Should I be jealous?" Audrey murmured from Silver's right. Her pale pink gown accentuated her curves and the cut showed a bit of her long legs.

"I shouldn't think so. Hermione deserves her night of beauty with Viktor. She doesn't need me fawning over her. Besides, I have my own date to do that with." Silver lightly ran her fingers down Audrey's arm to her hand, taking it carefully.

"You look exquisite, Silver. I truly expected you to arrive in a blue dress rather than that horrid lime green. However, it suits you and doesn't look as tacky as it would on the rack." Audrey sniffed in mock disdain, before breaking into a small smile. Silver's dress swept around her in layers of soft material, giving her the slight appearance of an upside down bright green flower. Her hair fell around her face in ringlets, while a pink flower pin kept half of her hair out of her face. Silver laughed at Audrey's comment, before catching sight of Harry and Kat at the end of the line of Champions. The two were engaged in conversation, despite Silver suspecting that Harry was nervous about the dance. Ron and Ana were across the foyer from Silver and Audrey, where Ana was attempting to stop Ron from fidgeting. He looked uncomfortable in his dress robes, clearly made for a different time period. As the Champions were ushered into the hall, the remaining attendees followed behind them and settled around a round dance floor.

After the Champions were in place, a waltz began to play from the half orchestra in the corner. Silver looked on in delight when she realized that Kat was leading Harry instead of the other way around. Her heart swelled with happiness when he flashed her a grin of amusement over Kat's shoulder. Soon enough, other couples began to join in the dancing with the Champions. Silver found herself pulled by the hand to the floor with Audrey taking the lead as the waltz slowed down a bit.

"Have you waltzed before?" Audrey asked, beginning the steps without waiting for a reply. Silver followed with relative ease.

"Only once. A girl I used to live with was a dancer. She taught me a few things, though she found waltzing terribly old fashioned."

"I am partial to swing dancing myself, though Papa taught me how to waltz when I was small."

"Did you stand on his feet as he showed you the moves?" Silver asked curiously.

"Qui. That is how most small girls learn how to dance, is it not?"

"I suppose. Father didn't allow me on his feet, though he taught me how to count the rhythm in music so I could dance."

"Well, you learn quickly if that is the case." Audrey watched Silver intently, causing the younger girl's breath to hitch slightly.

The two girls danced for a few more songs before Silver pulled away, intent on grabbing them drinks. Audrey continued dancing, catching a surprised Neville as he was leaving. Ginny was sitting at one of the tables, watching them with no small amount of laughter.

"You look happy, Silver." Silver glanced up from the punch bowl into Millicent's careful eyes.

"I'm having a great time. Are you?"

"Decent enough. Magnus is a bit of a flirt, though, so keeping his attention has been difficult."

"Ah, I see. You look stunning, Millie." She was wearing an emerald dress that was interspersed with gold sequins. Her hair was half-up, falling prettily behind her ears where small golden hoops hung.

"Thank you," Millicent replied, blushing faintly. "Your dress suits you."

"Audrey said the same thing. It used to be midnight blue, but I like the green better."

"You changed the color? That's advanced magic, though I suppose I should expect that from you."

"Perhaps. It wasn't terribly hard. Oh, there's Ron. Have a good rest of your night, Millie. I'll see you later." Millicent nodded, looking after Silver wistfully before drifting back to her date.

"Ana, Ron. Are you guys having fun?" Silver asked as she approached the pair.

"I am. I love your dress!" Ana exclaimed. Silver raised an eyebrow in surprise at her exuberance.

"Fred may have spiked the punch," Ron explained.

"That explains the excitement. I appreciate it, though, Ana. I like your dress too. It matches Ron's, surprisingly enough." Ana was wearing a corseted dress with a multi-layered skirt in a deep burgundy.

"It was my mother's, once upon a time. Father didn't want to buy me a new dress, and this particular one is warm enough for the chilly hallways at Durmstrang."

"I wish my robes didn't have so many ruffles," Ron muttered, tugging at the ones on his sleeves.

"I can fix that, if you'd like," Silver replied, pulling out her wand.

"Really? That'd be great, Silver."

"I won't be able to remove all of the ruffles, mind you. These types of robes are a bit more resistant to magical alteration, especially if they've been washed a few times. Something about the way it's stitched." Silver muttered several different spells, which brought the excessive ruffles around the collar and wrists down to a much smaller size. A few more spells were muttered, and the robes looked refreshed and less drab.

"There. That's about as much as I can do without taking it apart. If I had known what state your robes were in before the ball, you wouldn't have had to deal with the long ruffles at all."

"Thanks, Silver!" Ron hugged her suddenly, looking slightly embarrassed when he pulled away.

"No problem, Ron. Would you like to dance? That is, if you don't mind, Ana."

"I don't mind at all. Maybe I'll dance with your date instead," Ana replied with a wink.

"I'm sure Audrey wouldn't mind. She likes dancing a lot, apparently. Last I saw, she had snagged Neville."

Silver pulled Ron towards the dance floor, where they danced to an upbeat song. When the song was over, Silver found herself dancing with Cedric. She spotted Cho dancing with a seventh year Ravenclaw.

"Having fun?" Cedric asked.

"Yep! You?"

"Can't complain. I'll probably take Cho for a walk on the grounds after this song. I've heard they've set up a garden of sorts for the ball."

"That sounds...romantic."

"I think that's the point," Cedric replied with a smile. Silver laughed, before separating from him once the song was over. True to his word, Silver spotted him and Cho heading for the doors a moment later.

An hour passed, with Silver dancing with each of her friends. When she finally took a break, she spotted Audrey by the drink table, where a boy from Durmstrang was chatting her up. She tamped down a slight twinge of jealousy at the sight, noticing that Audrey was being friendly, but not flirtatious.

"Where's your date?" Silver looked up to see Pansy watching her with a slight sneer upon her face. Taken aback slightly, Silver forced herself to become more subdued.

"Talking to someone over by the drink table. Where's yours?"

"With Blaise and Theo." She gestured vaguely to her left, where Silver spotted the flash of blond hair among the two dark haired boys.

"Did you need something, Parkinson?"

"Tonight explains why you never said yes to any of the boys asking you out. Here I thought you thought you were too good for them, when it turns out you're a dyke. I've seen you and Millicent making eyes at each other, but at least she has the sense to hide it. If you try flirting with me, I'll hex you until you can't see straight. Oh wait." Pansy's voice was filled with mockery and contempt.

"I have taste, Parkinson. You're not my type. And the fact that you're homophobic doesn't help either."

"I'm not _afraid_ of it. It's disgusting, is all. See you later, _dyke_." Pansy flipped her hair over her shoulder and walked away. Silver's hands began shaking slightly as she tried to control her emotions. Audrey found her there a moment later.

"Is everything all right? You're shaking." Audrey gently took Silver's hands, rubbing them slightly in an attempt to warm them up.

"I'm not cold," Silver said in a quiet voice. "Can we take a walk?"

"Of course." Audrey grabbed their shawls, draping Silver's around her shoulders before grabbing her hand and leading her to the door. They walked out into the gardens that Cedric mentioned, spotting several other couples seated on benches, either snogging or talking in low voices.

After a few minutes, Silver took a few shuddering breaths before speaking.

"This is my first date. I wasn't nervous about coming with you, since the people who mattered to me already knew I was going with a girl. But I forgot that the world isn't always accepting." Audrey was quiet, waiting for Silver to continue. They sat on a bench that was partially hidden from the path.

"One of my roommates called me a dyke." Audrey's breath caught, eyes widening slightly. Even though the word was unfamiliar to her, she recognized it for what it was- an insult.

"Did you expect her to be accepting of this? Of who you are?"

"To some extent. I don't have the same responsibilities that some of my housemates bear. Many are expected to marry and sire a child with another pureblood within ten years of graduation. With my father being mostly absent from my life, I haven't been raised with those expectations. I thought Pansy would-" she broke off, suddenly choked up. "I thought Pansy would be more accepting. We had finally become friends, or so I thought, after three and a half years of school."

"If she were truly your friend, she would accept you for who you are, no matter whom you are attracted to, mi amor." Silver smiled slightly at the endearment, not expecting it.

"It still hurts, though. As soon as I heard that word come out of her mouth, I wanted to hex her mouth shut. I hate slurs of any kind, whether it be for race, orientation, or blood. Which is probably why she did it. And why I didn't react." Audrey gently traced Silver's hand with her fingers, each girl lost in their own thoughts.

"I know I haven't spent much time with you tonight," Audrey began. Silver shook her head.

"It's all right. I've been having fun with my friends, and I had the chance to dance with you a few times."

"If you would let me finish," Audrey replied with a small glare.

"Sorry."

"I suspected this was your first date, and I didn't want to come on too strong. Since this wasn't a private date, I didn't want us getting stared at overmuch. Same-sex couples are more common in France, but I knew what to expect coming here. When you wanted to go with me, I was surprised and slightly impressed."

"Impressed? Why?"

"You are exceptionally confident and unafraid of what others think of you. At your age, I was just coming to terms with the _idea_ that I fancied girls. I went through several boyfriends until I figured it out."

"That must've been tough," Silver commented. She rested her head on Audrey's shoulder, while Audrey wrapped her arm around her. They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes.

"It's a beautiful night," Silver murmured, watching the fairy lights flickering in the moonlight.

"Yes, it is," Audrey agreed, looking up at the stars. The two girls glanced at each other at the same time, smiling slightly when it happened. Silver watched as Audrey's face went from pure happiness to slightly thoughtful to questioning. Her eyes flicked from Silver's eyes to her lips and back again. Before she could make another move, Silver leaned in and captured Audrey's lips with her own.

They held the kiss for a moment, before breaking apart. Both girls smiled again before Audrey kissed Silver again, more firmly and purposefully.

A few minutes later, they pulled away from each other, both with soft smiles on their faces. Audrey traced her hand down Silver's face before giving her another peck on the lips. Both girls' hair was slightly disheveled, Audrey's more so than Silver's. As they helped each other with their hair, Professor Snape came swooping past them, quirking an eyebrow at the two girls before moving on. The girls giggled a bit, before Audrey stood and helped Silver up. Silver walked with Audrey back to the castle doors. However, before Audrey could walk away, Silver pulled them in through the doors.

"Silver! I really should get back to the carriage. It's getting late."

"I know, but can we at least get a hot chocolate to warm up before bed?"

"Hot chocolate? Don't tell me you carry that around with you too?" Audrey nudged Silver gently.

"Nope. That's why we're going to the kitchens. Maybe then you can tell me why you've been so determined to get into them." Audrey stopped suddenly, a wide grin upon her face.

"You will show me the kitchens?"

"Yes, though you will need to close your eyes. I can't show you how to get in. As I said, it's a Hogwarts secret." Audrey pouted slightly at that, as they stopped in front of the fruit bowl painting. Silver conjured a small blindfold and placed it around Audrey's eyes.

"You do not trust me to keep my eyes closed?"

"No, I don't. I'm not taking any chances." Silver's tone was light, but there was an edge of a warning in it. Audrey shrugged and motioned for Silver to proceed. A moment later, the blindfold was taken off and Audrey gasped slightly at the sight of the large kitchen. Some house-elves were in the process of cleaning up after the feast, while others were keeping the refreshments table stocked.

"Ordinarily, they have the House tables lined up below the ceiling, which is how the food gets from here to the Great Hall. Hello, Dobby. How are you doing?" Silver greeted the house-elf as he approached, pleased to see he wore a couple of her Christmas presents from the last year.

"Dobby is grand, Miss Silver!" He hugged her quickly around the middle, before greeting Audrey.

"Hello Miss Silver's friend! I is Dobby."

"Hello, Dobby. My name is Audrey. It's a pleasure to meet you." She offered her hand to Dobby, who shook it vigorously.

"How is Winky doing, Dobby?" At that, Dobby's ears dropped a bit and looked towards the fireplace, where another elf could be seen surrounded by Butterbeer bottles.

"Not good, Miss Silver. She is still blaming herself for being dismissed from her Master's service."

"What happened?" Audrey asked curiously.

"She was released from Mr. Crouch's service when she was discovered holding a wand at the Quidditch Cup. It's illegal for creatures other than wizards to be in possession of wands."

"He let her go for that? That's ridiculous."

"Tis the way of house-elves service," Dobby replied regretfully. Another house-elf gathered the empty bottles with a look of disgust towards Winky, who was swaying slightly.

"Hello, Winky," Silver greeted quietly. Winky's eyes couldn't focus on Silver, but she hiccuped in greeting. Silver took Audrey to her usual table in the corner, where Dobby gave them a small tray of snacks. Melby approached with two hot chocolates.

"Thank you, Melby. Anticipating like always. Has it been terribly busy today with the ball?"

"A bit, Miss Silver. It is exciting, but Melby will be happier once the regular routine begins again."

"Understandable. Melby, this is my date, Audrey. Audrey, this is my friend Melby."

"It's nice to meet you." Audrey held her hand out again, where Melby hesitantly took it.

"Please let Melby know if you need anything else." With that, she walked away towards the refreshment table.

"Why was Melby a bit less enthusiastic than Dobby about shaking my hand?"

"Most house-elves aren't used to equal treatment by witches and wizards. The fact that she shook your hand shows how much progress I've made by being her friend. Most of the other elves here enjoy conversing with me, but won't touch me, preferring to bow in greeting."

"How strange. I've never met house-elves before, and I heard Hogwarts had one of the largest population of them in one place."

"Ah, that's why you wanted to find the kitchens." Audrey colored slightly before taking a sip of her hot chocolate.

"Cinnamon and nutmeg?"

"Yes. Melby usually adds some to mine since that's the way I like it. Sometimes I ask for peppermint flavoring, though. You're not allergic are you?" Silver's eyes widened slightly in alarm.

"No, no I'm not allergic. I am not used to spices in my hot chocolate. It's good."

"Glad to hear it." The two drank in silence for a few minutes, before Silver spoke.

"If you're interested in learning more about house-elves and what rights, or lack thereof, they have, you should talk to my friend Hermione. She created an advocacy group called the Society for the Promotion of Elvish Welfare, or S.P.E.W. I personally think it needs a slightly different approach, but I appreciate her efforts."

"Thank you, I will talk to her. House-elves have always been fascinating to me. It's a shame you won't let me know how to get in here."

"I come here at least once a week. I can bring you on my next few trips, if I can find you. My dorm isn't too far from here, so it's a bit less of a trek than from the carriage outside."

"Sounds like you're inviting me to stay with you tonight, non?" Silver's face flushed deeply at the insinuation.

"N-not this time. It's only our first date, after all."

"Hmm. True. I suppose I'll have to convince you later," Audrey replied with a wink.

The two sat in comfortable silence until their drinks were gone, before Silver walked Audrey to the doors of the castle. They kissed farewell before parting, each with a smile upon their face.


	61. Chapter 61

**Chapter 61**

 **A/N Well, this chapter had a mind of its own. Hope you guys enjoy it. :)**

A couple of weeks before the Second Task, Silver was wandering the halls after another nightmare. Classes had resumed, and the routine was helping marginally. The nightmare on this night was particularly intense, which found Silver up and out of bed much earlier than usual, though she hadn't noticed in her need to escape.

Silver rounded a corner on the second floor near Professor Snape's office, before freezing at the sound of a harsh caterwaul. The sound echoed across the hallways, and Silver saw the people in several paintings nearby wake up and promptly cover their ears, complaining about the noise. Silver drifted closer to the sound, before spotting the golden egg being snatched up by Mr. Filch. The man was conversing with Professor Snape, blaming Peeves for the egg being opened. Professor Moody was slightly behind Professor Snape, magical eye fixed on the stairs next to them. As she watched, Silver happened to flick her eyes downward and saw the Marauder's Map between her and Filch. Quickly, she grabbed it off of the floor before intentionally crashing into Filch, who dropped the egg once more. The clasp opened, causing the egg to screech again. Silver scrambled towards it and hastily closed it, before meekly looking up at the two men. It was another moment before someone spoke.

"Aha! The culprit returns to the scene of the crime!" Mr. Filch pointed a shaky finger at Silver as she stood up, holding the egg.

"I have no idea how the egg ended up here, Mr. Filch."

"Then what are you doing here, Miss Sullivan?" Professor Snape asked, voice dangerously low.

"I-I was walking around the corner when I heard the egg go off and came to investigate."

"Child out of bed!" Mr. Filch roared. Professor Snape leveled Filch with a blank look before dismissing him. Silver stood next to the Professors, shuffling her feet nervously, before glancing up at him. His eyes were on her face, searching for something. Professor Moody broke the silence.

"I will hold onto the egg for the Champion. If I see Peeves on the way, the bloody poltergeist will get what's coming to him."

"I think it's better if I hold on to it for tonight. I'm friends with both of the Hogwarts Champions, and I doubt either of the other two would have the egg in the castle," Silver countered. Professor Snape narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Professor Moody, before answering Silver.

"Perhaps that would be best. I shall escort you back to the common room." He turned after locking the storage room with a flick of his wand, robes billowing behind him. Silver hastily followed after him, looking over her shoulder and mouthing 'Help Harry' to Professor Moody. She saw him nod slightly before clunking over to the stairs, where Harry was apparently trapped under his Invisibility Cloak.

"Why are you out of bed at this hour?" His tone demanded a honest answer, though it was softer than Silver had expected it to be.

"I was having trouble sleeping, sir."

"I see. Is that a common occurrence? This is not the first time I have noticed you out of bed in the early morning." Silver hesitated, unsure how honest she could be.

"Almost every night. Dreamless sleep potions don't work for more than a couple hours, and I haven't wanted to become addicted to them. Walking helps with the pent up energy I gain, though normally it's not this early in the night that I leave the common room."

"The curfew was established for a reason. It won't do to have you meandering the hallways every night without permission."

"I understand, sir," Silver replied quietly.

"Ten points from Slytherin, and detention tomorrow night." Silver nodded in acceptance. As they approached the common room, Silver was overcome with a surge of restlessness, and became fidgety.

Professor Snape observed this with a quirk of an eyebrow, before stating the password and watching Silver sit down in one of the chairs by the fire after placing the egg onto the table. He waited by the entrance as she got more agitated, drumming her fingers on her legs and seeming to rock slightly. Confused, Professor Snape approached her slowly.

"Miss Sullivan?"

"Yes, Professor?" Silver's voice was slightly strained.

"Are you all right?"

"Fine, fine. It goes away after awhile. I should grab my sketchbook, though."

"You are aware of what is happening. Do you know why?" Silver nodded, starting to shake involuntarily.

"I-" she broke off, before taking a deep breath. "I get visions in my dreams. Visions of potential futures. Some have come true, others have not. The more intense the vision, the more I react. I had a horrible one tonight." Silver stood up and began pacing. Professor Snape watched her for a few moments.

"What was the vision?"

"Hm?" Silver murmured, distracted. "Oh, the same one I've had a dozen times since the Tournament began, though this time was scarier."

"How so?"

"It was me instead of Harry in the graveyard, being tortured by the Dark Lord." Her voice was non-nonchalant, before her eyes widened slightly when she realized what she said. Professor Snape's eyebrows had shot to his hairline at her words, before looking at her with slight suspicion.

"Clarify. Now." Silver sighed before flicking her wand and placing a variety of privacy charms on the area.

"You probably are aware that the Dark Lord will rise again soon. From what I know of the Dark Mark, anyone who is branded with it will feel it as he grows strength." Professor Snape looked at her, his face neutral and waiting for her to continue. Silver had resumed pacing, though it was slower as she concentrated on how to word everything.

"I keep seeing his resurrection. There's a potion that he had concocted that will give him a proper body once again, and he needs Harry's blood to do it. That's most likely why Harry had been entered into the tournament, so that he could get Harry's blood directly from the source." When Professor Snape still didn't say anything after this information, she continued.

"When I get this vision, it always takes place in a graveyard, where Harry becomes bound to a headstone with vines. Jasper's always the one who performs the ritual before the Dark Lord rises and forces Harry to duel. There's a point where he hits Harry with Crucio a few times. I don't feel it, but I hear his anguished screams. Tonight, I felt it instead and I understandably woke up shaking. I was out the door and wandering the halls within ten minutes, just to feel something other than that fear and pain." Silver wandered over to a desk and began sketching on a spare bit of parchment, seemingly forgetting that Professor Snape was still there.

"Can you show me?" Silver jumped slightly at his voice, before turning to him.

"Can you teach me Occulumency?" She countered, meeting his eyes.

"Why do you wish to learn it?"

"I believe these visions are coming from an external source and I'm acting as a vessel of sorts. If I can learn how to block it, I can sleep better. Granted, if I learn it and it still doesn't work, then I suppose I'd have to live with the visions."

"I will think about it. Will you show me the vision?" Silver hesitated, before nodding. She stood in front of him and took a deep breath before looking into his eyes. He muttered the spell and she relived the vision, thankfully free of the pain. When he withdrew, his face was unreadable.

"Professor?" Silver's voice was cautious. He prompted her to continue.

"Can I see your Dark Mark?" He was about to recoil from her in shock, but refrained from doing so. After a few moments of tense silence, Silver walked away from him and ran her fingers along the stone wall of the common room as she awaited his reply. Since he hadn't stormed off, she figured there might be a chance of him actually showing her.

"How did you know?"

"Other visions I've had. Plus, Harry told me he saw Karkoff showing you his Dark Mark, and why would he do that if not to compare?" Silver shrugged, though she was nervous that she'd get reprimanded. Without a word, Professor Snape unbuttoned his left sleeve and pushed it up, revealing a tattoo of a skull with a snake coming out of it. As she watched, the tattoo moved slightly with each twitch of his arm. The tattoo was gradually turning black, while the rest of it was green. Silver traced it with her eyes, before looking up at her Professor. She saw something in his eyes she hadn't expected: caution and pain.

"It's horrible, yet striking. It must take a large amount of dedication to consent to being branded by it."

"It was an honor at the time." His voice was quiet and vulnerable. Silver was slightly confused, wondering why he was opening up to her. She decided to push her luck.

"When did that change?" He hesitated as Silver came closer and started tracing his wrist absentmindedly, being careful to avoid touching the Mark.

"When Lily became his target." It was said so quietly, Silver thought she mis-heard him.

"You did what you could to save her, right?" At his small nod, she smiled slightly. "Then that's all that matters. I'm sure she would appreciate you keeping Harry safe, even if he loathes you for it." At his surprised expression, she chuckled slightly.

"I figured out you had been trying to save Harry first year, from Quirrell, though I'm sure Harry wouldn't understand that. You really are awful to him at times." At his glare, she added, "Which of course you're free to do whatever you like. You can ignore the rambling of a fourteen year old. I have a tendency to place my two knuts where they don't belong. Sorry." Silver stopped tracing his wrist, backing away from him. After a moment, he rolled his sleeve back up and re-buttoned it before looking at Silver with an unreadable expression. Silver looked back, waiting for him to speak.

"Do not mention this to anyone. Detention, tomorrow after dinner." He strode over to the door, undoing the privacy charms. He raised his eyebrow at the complexity of them, turning to Silver for explanation. She shrugged, flicking her wrist and disabling the last of them.

"Have a good night, Professor. See you tomorrow." Silver watched as Professor Snape exited the common room before she disabled the privacy charms on the stairs and returned to bed, lost in thought.


	62. Chapter 62

**Chapter 62**

 **A/N Sorry for the long delay since my last update. Hopefully I'll have another chapter up in a couple of days.**

 **Let me know what you think! :)**

Early the next morning, Silver sat outside the Gryffindor common room, waiting for Harry to emerge. She was carrying the egg while drawing random things. When a pair of feet arrived in front of her, she looked up into Harry's vibrant green eyes.

"Here you are, Harry. You should probably run that up to your room before we go to breakfast."

He returned a moment later, with Ron and Hermione bickering behind him. Harry stopped in front of Silver as she hoisted her bag upon her shoulder and led the group down the hall.

"You figure out the clue?" Silver asked quietly.

"Yeah. I had been on my way back from the Prefect's bath when I..." He cut off, pulling Silver into a side corridor. Both Hermione and Ron continued on, so involved in their argument they didn't notice their friends' departure.

"I saw Mr. Crouch on the Map. That's what distracted me enough to make me get stuck in the trick step. He's supposed to be home, according to Percy, yet it was written clear as day on the Map."

"Really? Why would he be here?"

"I don't know, it doesn't make sense. Do you have the map?" Silver shook her head.

"I left it in the dorm, sorry. I thought I'd need it tonight after my detention with Professor Snape."

"Oh, right. I forgot you had been caught. What were you doing wandering the halls, anyways?"

"Nightmare. Didn't I tell you they've been getting worse?" He shook his head, eyes widening at the implication, before leading them back to the main hallway to bring them to the Great Hall.

"You can keep the map as long as you need it, then. I'd hate for you to get caught again if you need to walk the dreams out."

"All right, if you're sure. Thanks, Harry." Once they approached the Great Hall, Silver bid Harry goodbye and sat down at the Slytherin table.

The morning post flew down upon everyone, and Silver was surprised when she received several envelopes. Before she had a chance to open them, Millicent nudged her and handed the Prophet to her, gesturing towards a specific article:

Harry Potter Love Triangle Turned Square?

By: Rita Skeeter

 _As written in a previous article by yours truly, Hermione Granger was revealed to be toying with both the Durmstrang champion Viktor Krum and Harry Potter: the Boy Who Lived. Now, there seems to be a second girl manipulating them all into her compliance. Miss Silver Sullivan has been spotted showing affection to both boys, as well as Hermione Granger, my sources say. It is believed that Miss Sullivan is pitting all three against each other in a bid for her heart. With a well placed word here and there, every one of them will do anything to win Silver's heart, while she provides false promise and lies to all, befitting her father's past. Former Professor at Durmstrang, Jasper Sullivan was believed to be in league with You-Know-Who, but was released from charges without viable proof. Seemingly his daughter is following in his footsteps. "She has the whole school wrapped around her thumb. It's no surprise that she'd be manipulating the two Champions for her own gain. My guess is she wants the money, since her father cleared out her vault years ago and now she lives with a Squib," Pansy Parkinson stated in an interview. "She has all the guys and half the girls falling over themselves to gain her favor, but she's not that great. In my opinion, she's a filthy snake that likes to collect people for her advantage," an anonymous fifth year Gryffindor provided. What do you think, dear readers? Is Miss Sullivan a cold hearted manipulator, or simply a lost girl with a bit too much influence? I'll let you decide._

Included with the article was a picture of her dancing with Viktor, Harry, and Hermione with a large smile on her face. When Silver looked up, half of her table was pretending not to look at her as her hands began to shake. The paper burst into purple flames, startling several of her housemates in its intensity, before fizzling out once the paper was fully consumed. Without a word, she grabbed a few pieces of toast and stormed out of the Hall to her first class. The few students that she encountered whispered to each other as she passed.

Plonking herself down onto the floor outside the Charms classroom, Silver ran her hands through her hair before resting her head on her drawn up knees. The slight tug of the hair pulling away from her scalp had a strange calming effect on her.

"Silver?" Neville's worried voice sounded from above her.

"Hmm? Whatcha want, Nev?" Her voice was muffled by her knees.

"Are you all right?" There was a rustle as he sat down next to her before she felt his reassuring warmth.

"Been better," she replied, letting her knees fall to the floor and leaning into his embrace.

"Want to talk about it?"

"I want to hex Pansy Parkinson for the vile things she's said. And turn Rita Skeeter into a bug and feel the crunch as I step on her." Neville laughed and pulled her into a sideways hug.

"All right, sure. But do you know why you won't?"

"Cuz I'm better than that?" came Silver's muffled reply.

"Hm? What was that?"

"I'm better than that," Silver repeated, lifting her head up.

"Damn right. Skeeter's an attention seeking worm, and you're worth at least ten of her."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I will get my revenge on Parkinson though. Especially if she keeps being a git."

"That's your right, I guess. Feeling better?"

"Just a bit. I suppose you have to get to class? The greenhouses are quite a bit from here."

Neville gave a sound of affirmation, before begrudgingly extracting himself from his best friend's embrace and standing.

"Want to meet later to study? I think Hermione made Defense flashcards."

"I can't tonight. I've got detention with Professor Snape."

"Bummer. Remember what I said, all right?" After a quick hug goodbye, Neville disappeared around the corner to his first class of the day.


	63. Chapter 63

**Chapter 63**

 **Hey everyone! Sorry it's been a while since my last update...I'll be better this month, since NaNoWriMo is happening again. I'm a couple days late starting, so we'll see where my progress goes. Another short chapter, but I need to get this out of the way so I'm not as stuck.**

 **Thanks for reading, and reviews are always great. :)**

After dinner, Silver entered the Potions classroom and took her usual seat as she waited for the surly Potions professor to arrive. After a few minutes, she pulled out her sketchbook and listlessly doodled until she sensed a new presence in the room. He had arrived without the usual flair of robes and was quietly watching her sketch.

"Everything all right, Professor? Do you want me to start lines or cleaning the cauldrons? Those are your usual methods for detention." She continued to lightly sketch, changing to drawing his shadowed form hunched over the desk.

"How does sketching help your dreams?"

"It gives the images a place to go. They're still in my head, but less violently so. My friend Luna is the one who first recommended it, back in second year. She sketches too, though not nearly as often. She's someone who prefers mulling things over in her head rather than on paper."

She traced the lines of his face, mostly relying on memory since she didn't want to stare at the man, before looking up and catching his carefully blank face. She took a few moments to study his face as she waited for him to start the detention. After another moment of silence, she went back to drawing his face, adding the details she had picked up.

"Are you drawing me?" His voice was sharp with accusation.

"There isn't much else interesting to draw in here."

It was silent as he stood and strode over to her desk, looming in his black robes. Silver wordlessly ripped the page off of her sketchbook and handed it to him. He scrutinized the image more than she had expected, seemingly looking for something. After a moment, he placed the drawing into his desk and beckoned her to follow him to the storage room next to his office.

The trip was silent except for their footsteps.

"You will organize and re-label anything that has faded labels. There are new labels on the shelf next to the cockroaches. I will be doing the more volatile ingredients. Any questions?"

"Do you want me to inform you of any ingredients that are low or rotten?"

"Yes. There is an inventory sheet on the door. Update it as needed, and write anything that needs to be replenished on a new sheet of parchment."

Silver nodded, before duplicating the inventory sheet twice and handing him a copy, as well as a quill and inkwell. After a muttered spell, she had a new sheet of parchment set up with the quill ready to write at her command.

"Did I say you could use magic?"

"Sorry, professor." Silver disenchanted the quill before stashing her wand into a pocket in her robes.

They worked in near silence for a couple hours, with the occasional question from Silver about an ingredient or to clarify a label.

"I wish to ask you something, sir. It's not potion related, though."

He finished several more lines of inventory before he glanced down at her from the second floor landing.

"You may ask."

"Did you know a Crystal Selwyn? I think she was my aunt or cousin. She would have been in your year at Hogwarts, if memory serves."

It was quiet except for the clink of jars and scratching of the quill.

"I did. She was my friend, until her disappearance."

"Can you tell me about her? I've tried asking Remus, but he refuses to tell me anything."

"You're friends with Lupin? Werewolves make dangerous company, Miss Sullivan."

"Only the night they transform, and even then they're mostly harmless with Wolfsbane. But we're not talking about werewolves right now. You've made it clear that you despise them, and that's not an argument I wish to drag up with you again." It was quiet for a moment as he stared at her, arguing with himself. Finally, he spoke again.

"She was your mother's cousin. According to Claudia, Crystal had come to Hogwarts without any of her family knowing she was still alive."

"You knew my mother, too? Were you friends?"

"Claudia was my housemate, a couple of years older than me. We weren't really friends, but she was always open to a discussion about my studies."

The sound of their task continued while Silver thought.

"I can hear you thinking from here, Miss Sullivan. It's rather distracting."

"What else can you tell me about Crystal? I know she was a Gryffindor and on the Quidditch team."

"She is one of the most complicated people I have ever known. She gained a reputation of having many facets of her personality. Several classmates had whispered that she had a branch of craziness ingrained in her, though I knew she was perfectly sane. She was a far better friend than I deserved."

"How did she disappear?"

"I do not know. We weren't a part of each others lives after Hogwarts. There were letters, but they were few and far between." He turned back to his work, as Silver did the same.

Silver was finishing up the bottom floor of the storage room when Professor Snape came down the winding stairs.

"You finished everything?"

"Yes, sir. Is this acceptable?" She handed him the parchments, stoppering the inkwell as he reviewed it.

"It will do." He swept out of the room, waiting for her to follow him out before locking the door with a flick of his wand.

"You are dismissed. Curfew begins in fifteen minutes, so do not dawdle." Without waiting for a reply, he walked away towards his own chambers. Silver stared blankly after him, before making her way to the dorms.


	64. Chapter 64

**Chapter 64**

The day of the second task of the Triwizard tournament had finally arrived. Harry, with Neville's and Silver's assistance, was able to procure some gillyweed to breathe underwater. Both Hermione and Ron had been called into Professor McGonagall's office the night before and had yet to return.

"You'd think that they'd make an underwater viewing platform or something, like they have in Muggle aquariums. That way, we'd be able to watch what's happening instead of being above water waiting in anticipation for the Champions to surface," Silver commented, once the task was fully revealed to everyone.

"What's an aquarium?" Ginny asked.

"It's a building where Muggles house all sorts of aquatic life for study or breeding purposes. A lot of them are open to the public as a learning experience. Maybe we could all go to one during the summer," Silver replied.

Ginny was about to respond, but Ludo Bagman announced each of the Champions departure into the Black Lake. It was only half an hour until Fleur's golden head popped out of the water, flanked by a couple of merpeople. Audrey pulled Fleur completely out of the water as Madame Pomfrey wrapped her in a blanket and cast quick dry spells upon her. The two began quietly conversing in French, though Silver wasn't close enough to hear what was said.

"Miss Delcour was apprehended by Grindylows, and was thus unsuccessful in her task," Ludo Bagman's voice boomed to the spectators. "I wonder who will be the next to surface, hm?"

Not even ten minutes later, Cedric emerged carrying Cho, his bubble head charm disappearing. They were both breathing heavily as they swam towards the suspended platforms. Viktor was next, his shark head shrinking into his normal face once more, with Hermione flailing towards the crowd.

After another five minutes, two figures broke the surface of the water: Ron and a little girl that looked like a mini version of Fleur. Ron helped the girl get to Fleur, who gratefully gave him a peck on the cheek as she spoke rapidly to her sister Gabriella. Harry wasn't much longer, though once he flopped onto the platform Hermione gave him a firm scolding for taking the riddle so seriously. The judges took a few moments to converse, with Dumbledore chatting with the merpeople king and translating as needed. They announced the winners: Cedric was in first place, Harry was in second place for "outstanding moral fiber," Viktor was third, and Fleur was last.

"Moral fiber! You sure are lucky, mate," Ron commented, clapping Harry on the back.

"Yeah, I guess. Thanks."

"Wanna join in the celebrations this time, Silver? I'm sure Fred and George will have a nice party going in no time."

"Nah, Ron, I'm all right. I need to move around to get feeling back into my limbs. I may not have been freezing at the bottom of the lake, but it's still pretty nippy out here."

Silver broke off from the gaggle of Gryffindors, letting her feet guide her throughout the castle. There was still a few hours before dinner, and Silver found herself in front of the Room of Requirement. Since she didn't have any specific need in mind as she paced, she was a bit surprised a door showed up. Pulling it open revealed a large art room, with various mediums spread throughout. On one wall was a collection of paints of any color imaginable, as well as brushes and empty palettes. Opposite to that was a wall of canvases and large sketchbooks, with easels nearby. The last wall had different kinds of pencils, charcoals, crayons, and pastels within drawers, with instruction books on how to use everything in the room. There was also another door labeled with "Pottery Room," where Silver suspected a kiln and spinning wheel would be. In the center was a comfortable but firm backed chair and a table with different colored inkwells upon it. Along the wall of the door was an elegant sink with different soaps and towels available. Silver looked around the room for a few moments, before grabbing a canvas and setting it up next to the chair. She then grabbed a rainbow of colors, brushes, and water before settling herself on the chair.

Methodically, she began to paint, blending colors and bringing to life magical images. Silver was pleased to see that the paint was responding to her brushstrokes, almost the same as a pencil and paper would do, though the colors were much more vibrant. Without conscious thought, she summoned a few more canvases with a flick of her wand, moving onto each one once she was finished with the previous. It was several hours before she was completely done, and every image was as striking as her drawings. After cleaning up, she examined the paintings in more detail. As always when she gets lost in her art, Silver wasn't fully aware of what she had been painting and was now taking the time to appreciate it. On the first canvas was a field of flowers, with a small dragon nestled within the clearing. In the distance were several other flying creatures, which Silver interpreted to be other dragons. Upon closer inspection, she saw that the small dragon was wrapped around a golden egg and was sleeping contentedly. Recognizing this image as one of her normal dreams rather than a precognition, she smiled softly and made a mental note to give it to Hagrid for his birthday.

The next image made her laugh, as it showed Padfoot and Remus in the parlor of Black Manor. Padfoot was carrying a large bag of biscuits, and his fur was coated in a white powder. Remus was standing in the doorway, brandishing a spatula and clearly scolding the dog. Padfoot was looking at him with amusement, though his ears were flattened in response to the loud voice.

The next image was a confusing one to Silver, since the woman in the middle Remus and Sirius's apartment looked strikingly like herself, though older. The woman had shorter hair, and she was nursing a cup of tea. Sirius and Remus were both turned towards the woman, though Sirius looked far angrier than Remus. The window outside revealed that it was twilight and snowing, so Silver had the thought that this image would take place fairly soon if it were in fact a vision of the future and not another figment of her imagination. She stared at the woman for a few more moments before moving on to the last painting. It was of Luna, encased in a ring of flowers and little winged fuzzballs of color.

Silver watched the painting as the balls moved in her minds eye around Luna's head, and decided to make it reality by charming them. After a moment of observation, she realized that this was her envision of Wrackspurts and changed the balls to flicker in and out of sight going around Luna's pale blond hair. The painting had Luna's unnervingly penetrating stare, though it was far from unkind. Silver found herself staring at this painting for far longer than any of the others. It was so long, in fact, that the paint had fully dried and her back was stiff before she realized how long she'd been there. Gathering up the paintings, she asked the room for a safe place to store them until she could come back. After checking the time, she also asked the room for safe passage to the kitchen, since she had missed dinner and needed to grab some food before bed. Casting one last look towards where the paintings were hidden, she pondered who the woman with Remus and Sirius was once more.


	65. Chapter 65

**Another chapter that didn't fully go as planned. Eh, oh well. My plans are constantly changing, I suppose.**

 **I hope you enjoy! :)**

 **Chapter 65**

Once the excitement of the second task began to dwindle down, Silver found herself increasingly busy again. Despite falling into bed utterly exhausted each night, she wasn't able to get more than five hours of sleep before she was up and working on something due to the consistent pressure of her dreams. Since she was no longer allowed to wander the halls after Professor Snape placed a caterwauling charm on the hallway leading out of the dorm after he caught her out of bed a few nights prior, she used the early morning hours to draw various card designs or work on prototypes for Fred and George. After a couple weeks of this, Professor Snape strode into the common room early one morning. Silver was fiddling with a darkness detector designed to change color in the presence of a Death Eater, jumping when the device emitted a muffled beeping sound in addition to changing color on the designated dot. After a few more seconds of muttering, the beeping stopped but the color remained unchanged. Confused, she looked around the room and spotted Professor Snape hovering nearby, watching her curiously.

"Oh, Professor. I didn't hear you come in."

"Obviously. What is that infernal thing?"

"A prototype I'm working on. The circle is supposed to change from yellow to green when in the presence of Death Eaters, to red when in the presence of someone who's Polyjuiced, and to blue when someone is Imperiused. It's a little difficult to test without treading into illegalities, so it's good that you're here for one of the settings. Thanks for that," Silver responded, smiling slightly before focusing on the device once more. "I wonder if I can adjust it to read Death Eaters who are redeemed or neutral? Nah, that's probably way too complicated for a simple device and it'd cause the price of the thing to skyrocket. Magic can't detect that sorta thing all on its own." After another minute of mutterings and wand work, she placed the device back into the bag at her feet and pulled out her notebook, eyeing the rest of her to-do list.

"Miss Sullivan?"

"Yes, Professor?"

"Why is your to-do list long enough to rival the absurdity of Miss Granger's?"

"Because I can't walk the hallways anymore and keeping busy helps the shadows of the night stay away."

She checked a few things off of her list, before she pulled a collection of wizarding photographs and spread them over the low table. She began arranging the photos in an order known only to her, muttering to herself once more. After a couple more minutes, she noticed that Professor Snape had settled in one of the chairs near her and was watching her work.

"Colin Creevy asked me to make a photo album highlighting his best work. He's hoping to get into a summer art program in London, and the application is due at the end of the week."  
"Isn't that something for Mr. Creevy to do himself?"

"Well, sure it is. He's going to make one too, and then we'll compare to see if we agree on it. He did the same thing for me when I applied, though honestly Dean's opinion was better since he's a fellow illustrator."

"What do you hope to accomplish from the program?"

"I want to learn how other artists work, to see if I'm especially if I'm abnormal in the ways of my technique or form. Plus, if I can expand my business to the Muggle world too, that's another way to get my art known. I'd prefer it within the Wizarding world, since I can make it with color changing ink or charm things differently, but Muggles will allow me to see it from a non-magical perspective."

"Do you think you will be accepted?"

"I can only hope at this point. Though if things go to hell in the next few months, I'll probably have to decline if it were offered. I don't want to pause my life because of 'could have' though."

Silver continued to sort through the pictures, though she wasn't able to fully concentrate. Professor Snape watched her for a few more moments, watching as she stacked and re-stacked the same group of photos three times.

"Are you still interested in learning Occulmency?"

"Of course, sir." Silver looked up at him, giving up on her work as she waited for him to continue.

"When are you free?"

"Mornings, usually, as I'm sure you know. Other than that, you know my class schedule and after dinner I meet my friends in the library until my tutoring sessions, which last until half an hour before curfew. Weekends are pretty flexible."

"Tuesdays and Thursdays after dinner, and Saturday after lunch. We will meet in my office, if that is acceptable?"

"Of course, sir. Thank you."

"Don't be late." He left the room with a swish of his robes.

When Silver arrived to her first Occulmency lesson, she saw a basin with a slightly glowing liquid in the corner. It was rather ornate looking, with a series of snakes entwined along the side. After a moment lost in the intricacy of it, she took a a seat across from Professor Snape.

"I see you were able to borrow a pensive, sir."

"Yes. Now, Occulmency is an incredibly advanced form of magic. Do not expect to succeed on the first try, despite your previous history. You were aided by a magical object, whereas now you must rely on your own skill. I will penetrate your mind, and you will attempt to throw me out or get presence of mind enough to use your wand. Prepare yourself."

Before Silver could question anything, he said the spell and dove into her mind. She felt him sifting through her mind, rooting through her earlier memories. He seemed to be searching for something, and she was powerless to stop him. She tried to muster the strength she had the last time he was in her mind, but it evaded her.

She watched as the eight year old version of her walked up to Mary's abuser and punched him in the face and the resulting chaos that ensued. It flickered to the time she fell out of a tree and broke her wrist, crying as she lay there alone and in pain. Another memory surfaced, of Jasper teaching her to count the beats in the music before he danced to them. Other memories flickered before Silver found herself looking back at her Professor, breathing heavily.

"You didn't even attempt to push me out." His voice was angrier than she'd ever heard it, and instinctively she shied away from it. "Try again."

Once again, Silver was assaulted with memories that she barely remembered having. She felt indignant that he pushed his way into her mind without warning once again and made a more severe attempt at kicking him out of her head. He landed on the memory of her stashing the locket into her trunk and pulled out with a scowl upon his face.

"You told me you destroyed it."

"Kind of hard to destroy," she gasped.

"Then why didn't you bring it to me?"

"Because I need it."

"How could you possibly need something that dangerous? It tried to possess you."

"No. Possession would have made me forget. This merely guided me and fed off my happiness. It's like a portable dementor that causes anger instead of sadness."

"Yet another reason you don't need it! You are a child! No matter how bright you are, you're as stubborn and foolish as every damn Gryffindor I've ever had the misfortune to teach."

"If I bring it to you, you'll bring it to Dumbledore. Which will start something earlier than it is supposed to be."

"Why are you so adamant that I cannot help you? Merlin, Crystal, let me help you!"

Silver froze at the name, her face scrunching in confusion.

"Has this happened with you before? You and Crystal?"

Professor Snape sunk into a chair and put his head in his hands. Silver was astonished at how little composure the man had.

"That damn locket was featured in Crystal's mind when she taught me Occulmency. I had rebounded her attack and she wasn't able to shield it in time. She never let me help her with the big things, always turning to Lupin or Black instead."

"That's not fair of her. Friends are supposed to trust each other, and she clearly didn't trust you enough to need your help." He looked up at her with inscrutable eyes, watching as she warily got up and circled the room.

"I don't know why I need the locket, exactly. It draws me in, brings me a part of myself that doesn't normally exist in the light of day. I haven't opened the pocket it's in since I placed it there, but I know it's still there. I can feel it. If I think about turning it in to you or Dumbledore or whomever, it calls me back. When my trunk is open during the night, my visions of the graveyard are clearer, as if it wants me to know that its master will rise again. Voldemort's the Heir of Slytherin, and that's Slytherin's locket so if it gets destroyed before he has a full body, he might feel it more or something." Silver gave a mighty sigh as she sat back down in the chair. Her hands flew to her hair, tugging the roots gently.

"I've since re-located the pocket that it was encased in, attempting to muffle its effect. It hasn't worked yet."

The two were quiet for a while, as Professor Snape digested her words and processed the implications. He gradually gained his composure, striding back to the center of the room.

"You may remind me strongly of Crystal, Miss Sullivan, but you are more foolish than she'd ever been. If you do not wish for the destruction of this locket to come to the attention of the Headmaster, it does not have to. I do not see what he would have to gain from the knowledge of some dark trinket the Dark Lord once owned. Bring it to me for our next lesson, and get some sleep. Attempt to clear your mind before you go to sleep tonight."

"I- All right, sir. As you wish. I will see you Thursday. Have a good night." Silver fled the room, pondering everything once more on the walk back to the dorms and began putting pieces together.


	66. Chapter 66

**So this chapter doesn't count towards my offical word count, since I wrote it back in August. I'm slightly paranoid that it'll give waaay too much away about the future of the story but I wrote it and this is where it's begging to be placed. Originally I was thinking of having it after Chapter 64, but then I wrote 65 for today and now this one fits better as Chapter 66.**

 **I really hope I'm not playing the cards too early...please review and let me know what you think! :)**

 **Chapter 66**

A woman sat watching people mill around Sussex Square, sipping a cup of tea. Her sandy-blond hair was obscured by a knitted blue cap. She paid no mind to the wind whipping around her on this blustery day. Beside her on the bench was a worn bag in various colors; only the barest hint of black was visible under all of the patches. Her eyes snapped across the square at the sound of a familiar barking laugh, where Sirius Black and Remus Lupin had emerged from the apartment building. Instinctively, her face lit up in a small smile at the joy on the men's faces. As the two men ducked into a coffee shop, she observed them through the window, smiling at Sirius's obvious flirtation towards the barista. However, once the two left the shop, she saw him grab Remus's hand without thought.

As the two men passed her bench, she heard them talking about Sirius's motorbike and what improvements could be made. Shaking her head at his unintentional mention of magical enhancements, she began to follow them, making sure to stay several paces behind.

"I'm telling you, Moony, if I add rocket boosters, it'll make the bike go even faster! Imagine how that'll compare to Harry's Firebolt!"

"I doubt rocket boosters would make it surpass the fastest broom in the world, Pads. Why not just add another layer of protection for the sidecar so when he inevitably asks for a ride he can safely enjoy it?"

"Eh, Silver already did that. How she slipped past everything is a mystery. That girl is much too skilled for her own good."

"Reminds me of someone else we once knew." Remus's voice took on a sudden melancholy tone.

"Remus, you know she left because she had to," Sirius countered, pulling him into their destination: a book store. As they walked though the store to the back, the woman entered the shop and banked right to keep them from noticing her.

"Yeah, but she never told me _why_ she had to. And with Silver being as similar to Crystal as she is...it makes me wonder if she was pregnant and gave the child up."

"It's coincidence that Silver reminds us of Crystal, Moony. They are related, after all."

"Maybe so, but...it's never sat well with me. Is Crystal even alive? Was she killed, tortured by Death Eaters? Or was she so desperate to prove something to us that she left, never to return?"

"Remus." Sirius took his hands. "We've been down this path before. If Crys wants to return to us, she will. She's always been a little mysterious, and there's probably a good reason for it."

"You're right." Both men jumped and sprang apart at the sound of the woman's voice.

"There was a good reason I stayed away all this time. And I'm sorry for it now."

"You're here? How- why-?" Remus spluttered. Sirius stared at Crystal, taking in her appearance. Her hair was shorter than it used to be, and there were small crows feet at her eyes. Those same eyes were also shadowed with lack of sleep yet despite that, her eyes were determined and full of life. There was a wariness to her stance, as though she were afraid of them.

"It's good to see you both. Can we go somewhere to talk, maybe?" Remus was looking at her as if she were a ghost, so Sirius took charge and grabbed his hand, leading them both out of the book shop.

"How long have you been back?" Sirius ground out.

"A couple of days. I wasn't entirely sure how to approach you."

Within no time, the three of them were in Sirius's apartment staring at each other. Remus had put on a pot of tea and offered Crystal a tin of biscuits. She took an orange one with a hesitant smile, which Remus returned, albeit a bit reluctantly.

"I'm sure you have questions-" Crystal began.

"Questions? You disappear for fourteen years and show up in a bloody bookshop acting like nothing happened? Damn right I've got questions!" Sirius was on his feet with his wand pointed towards her.

"How do I know that you're the real Crystal, anyways? For all I know, you could be someone Polyjuiced as our old friend." Crystal finished her biscuit, heedless of Sirius's anger, though she did flinch at it.

"Ask something that only Crystal would know, then." There was a challenge to her voice, though her eyes kept darting to Sirius's drawn wand. She noticed that Remus had also drawn his wand, subtly threatening her if Sirius's spells failed.

"Who was the first boy you snogged?" Sirius asked.

"James Potter, and only because you dared me to."

"What form does your patronus take?" Remus countered.

"A spotted leopard." Both men satisfied, they pocketed their wands and looked at her warily. Sirius's anger had turned to curiosity, while Remus's confusion had morphed into slight anger, which led to his sharp tone.

"Where the hell have you been?"

"America. I was a private tutor for those who couldn't make it to Ilvermorny. A single rewarding school for a country as large as that is ridiculous."

"And why were you there instead of here?"

"Because if I stayed I would have wanted to interfere with Silver's life. And I couldn't do that."

Both men stared at her in shock for a moment.

"Is she your daughter, then?" Remus asked quietly. Laughter bubbled out from Crystal, before she forcibly stifled it.

"No. I can see why you'd think that, since she looks like me."

"Then why would it matter? How do you know who she is?"

Crystal took a few moments to collect her thoughts. Both men could see her brain working, in a way they knew all too well. It wasn't a look of preparing a lie, but of withholding information.

"Give us a straight answer, damn it! No more mystery, no more secrets!" Sirius exploded.

"I'm thinking of how to word it, you ignorant fool!" Crystal snapped.

"Anything I tell you right now must remain between the three of us, understand? Do _not_ tell Dumbledore or Silver anything."

"Why not? Is it going to be some batshit explanation? How about you tell us and _then_ we'll decide?"

"Goddamn it, Sirius! I need you to trust me, once again."

"We trusted you, but you left when we needed you most!" Remus reprimanded.

"I needed to keep the timeline intact!" They both froze at her words.

"What?" Remus's voice cracked in shock.

"I couldn't interfere with Silver's life, because I needed her to go through the same process I did, to get where I am now."

"You're not making sense, Crystal!" Crystal finally began pacing, reminiscent of the nervous energy of her youth. As she began muttering to herself, both men's eyes widened at the similarity between her and Silver.

"All right. Let me put it this way. I am Silver. I re-invented myself as Crystal Selwyn to cast off suspicion of my sudden presence in 1970. The real Crystal Selwyn died as a newborn when her parents left her on the steps of an empty Muggle orphanage because she was mentally disabled. The body was found and buried in 1959 with a grave that merely reads 'Crystal' and the year. I had taken to studying my family history, and came across that helpful bit of information. Shortly after her death, her parents contracted an incredibly deadly strain of Dragon Pox and died. Various other cousins and such were affected, such as Abraxus Malfoy and Arturcus Black III, though only Lord Black passed away. It's a well documented tragedy. Anyways, I became Crystal, and made my background story similar to that of my own for ease of memory."

"So...you are an older version of Silver?" Remus clarified.

"I am Silver, transported back in time and de-aged, before growing up again. It's an overly complicated thing, and I'm not entirely sure how I was made eleven again after the hurdle through time. I didn't have a chance to ask the creator before he died, because I was determined not to change anything."

Crystal disappeared from the room for a few minutes, giving the men time to digest everything she had told them. When she re-appeared, a new kettle of tea was floating behind her, as well as a bottle of Firewhisky. She waited for them to ask their questions, since she would elaborate no further on the topic.

"You knew? You knew what would happen and you did NOTHING?!" Remus was on his feet, his hands flying with every word. He was never more expressive than when angry.

"I wasted my life in Azkaban because of you?" Sirius questioned, horrified. His mouth curled in distaste.

"I did nothing because I thought keeping the timeline was more important. I wanted to change things, especially after I befriended you all, but in order for Voldemort to fall forever, certain things need to happen. I was...incredibly self-absorbed, thinking I knew everything. Between visions of the future and living through this time once before, I thought I had all the answers. I-" She broke off, her self imposed composure finally crumbling as tears began to fall. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I'm an idiot. I thought...I thought I could change things here, now, which is why I came back. I want to fix this. Can I fix this without messing things up even more?!" She couldn't speak anymore, completely overtaken by her crying. Remus was shaking with anger and began throwing things around the flat. With each crash, Crystal flinched, her sobs becoming quieter but not stopping. Sirius had a murderous look upon his face, but merely watched his two best friends as they spiraled out of control as he drank his glass of Firewhisky.

"What can you fix, here and now?" Sirius asked. Neither of them heard him over the noise. Quickly, he fired his wand in a shower of sparks. Both Remus and Crystal started and looked at him.

"What can you fix, Crystal?" It was quiet for a few moments as Crystal gained enough coherence to speak once again.

"It depends."

"On what?"

"On what outcome you want to achieve."

"What does that mean?"

"If you want to rid the world of Voldemort for good, I can assist in his destruction after the reformation of the Order at the end of the school year."

"For good? What do you mean? Is he back?" Remus asked sharply.

"He will restore to his full power soon. Currently he's in a primitive body, capable of doing no more than lift his wand and speak. If someone were to kill him in this state, he still wouldn't fully die but drift as a half-alive spirit as he did in the ten years after the Killing Curse rebounded on him."

"How is that possible?"

"For a man who fears death more than anything, he'll do anything to maintain his life, cursed as it is."

"Why wait for him to return to power?"

"Because of the prophecy tying him and Harry to each other. As I said before, there are certain things that need to happen in order for Voldemort to fall forever. I may not know everything, but I have lived through this point in time before and know what is yet to happen."

"What's the other option?"

"I can try to prevent our friends' deaths and your imprisonment in Azkaban. I'm not sure how well it will work, or the final outcome because the future will then be changed from what it is now. All I know is that Silver will go back in time once again and she can change things." Both men had the answer in their eyes: they wanted their friends back more than anything else.

"But you are Silver," Remus pointed out.

"Right now, I'm Crystal. Silver has yet to go into the past and become me, thus the future can be changed."

"How would that work?" Sirius asked, furrowing his brows.

"Implanting an idea into Silver's brilliant mind and keeping it intact. I should go," Crystal says, flicking her wand and summoning her cloak.

"What? Why? We need to figure this out," Remus countered.

" _I_ need to figure this out. I really shouldn't have involved either one of you in this, since by telling you I've probably altered this timeline."

"Well, how do you know this hadn't happened the first time around for you? After all, you want this to be a secret between the three of us. I hardly think that involving Silver or Dumbledore would accomplish anything." A flash of memory struck Crystal of a series of paintings before she continued.

"Quite right, though if you had wanted us to just destroy Voldemort without restoring the Potters' lives, we would have to involve Dumbledore since he knows the most information about Voldemort's Horcruxes."

"Horcruxes? Didn't you have a vision with that?"

"Wow, I'm surprised you remembered that. Yes, I had a few visions of it when I was coming into my power."

"What are they?"

"I'd...rather not say at the moment."

"Why the hell not?" Sirius demanded.

"Because I'm certain you won't know what they are, and I'd rather keep it that way."

"We are not your toys, Crystal! We're your _friends._ Maybe you've been away for too long to realize, but friends tell each other things. How do you expect us to trust you if you won't trust us?" Remus exclaimed.

Crystal considered both of her friends; Remus was breathing heavily with his outburst, and she suddenly recalled it was close to the full moon. Sirius was glaring at her with his arms crossed. Abruptly, she noticed how old they both looked, and her heart gave a lurch at the memories of her own past. Eyes tracing over both of them, she relaxed ever so slightly as she watched them watching her.

"You're absolutely right. I'm sorry. It has been a long time since I've seen either of you like this, and I've forgotten how much faith and trust I placed in you. I've been treating you both like this is a case to be solved, with me against the problem and you two standing idly by."

Hesitantly, she approached Remus and wrapped her arms around him. After a second, his closed around her as well and sighed as he breathed in her scent.

"I'm sorry, Moony," she mumbled into his chest. After another moment, she pulled away to find Sirius standing closer to them both and hugged him too.

"Sorry, Siri." Sirius exhaled as he rested his chin on her head, catching Remus's eyes.

"It's all right, love," Sirius replied, kissing the top of her head. Remus embraced them both, with one arm around each of their shoulders.

After a few moments of basking in affection, Crystal led them to the couch, sitting in the chair next to it. Her feet were touching theirs, and she made sure to keep contact as she spoke again, knowing they'd need the comfort.

"A Horcrux is when someone uses magic to split their soul and place it into a vessel outside of them."

"Split your soul and place it into a vessel?" Sirius echoed in horror.

"Right. Most people who attempt it can only make one. Voldemort has made several."

"What?" Remus asked. "Multiple? How many?"

"Six, to my knowledge. One has already been destroyed."

"Really? How?"

"When the Chamber of Secrets was opened a couple of years ago, a diary of Tom Riddle's sixteen year old self possessed Ginny Weasley. Silver, that is to say I, acquired the diary and spoke to this piece of soul, which allowed him to possess me. I found myself on the floor of the Chamber, where he was slowly gaining power before my eyes. After passing out, I awoke in the Hospital Wing with Hermione and Ron. Harry arrived not long after that, covered in blood and grime. My visions were supremely vivid at this point, so I didn't need to ask what happened, really, but Harry fought a basilisk and stabbed the diary with one of its fangs, causing the soul inside to die. Thus, one of Voldemort's Horcruxes was destroyed."

"Who is Tom Riddle?" Remus asked, after a moment.

"Who Voldemort was before he claimed a new name."

"Such an ordinary name for someone so horrible," Sirius commented.

"Probably why he changed it," Crystal remarked.

"So how are you going to get Silver to change her mind if she hasn't yet traveled to the past?"

"I do have a plan, but I don't want to tell you. It uses knowledge of your future to enact, and despite everything, I have to maintain this timeline the best I can. I may have told you too much, but that can't be helped now."

The three of them sat in silence, drinking tea and Firewhisky, no longer dwelling over serious topics. Soon enough, the tenseness of the last few minutes faded away and they were chattering amicably.

"Will you be staying for dinner? Muggle take-away was the plan for tonight."

At Crystal's nod, the two men began bickering over where to get food, while she started a fire in the hearth.


	67. Chapter 67

**Chapter 67**

 **A/N So you'll notice that the title has been changed to better reflect what the story is. When I began writing this story, it was a filler title of sorts, but I never changed it cuz I couldn't think of anything. The summary has also been changed. Both were recommended by Lavendor Queen. Many thanks to them for the assist.**

 **I've got several chapters written already (forgot to upload them, oops...) and author stuff was shut down yesterday for whatever reason. I won't spam them, though, unless it's requested. I don't want to bug you guys with five different emails about this story.**

 **Lemme know what you think of the changes and the chapter. :)**

Once the excitement of the second task began to dwindle down, Silver found herself increasingly busy again. Despite falling into bed utterly exhausted each night, she wasn't able to get more than five hours of sleep before she was up and working on something due to the consistent pressure of her dreams. Since she was no longer allowed to wander the halls after Professor Snape placed a caterwauling charm on the hallway leading out of the dorm after he caught her out of bed a few nights prior, she used the early morning hours to draw various card designs or work on prototypes for Fred and George. After a couple weeks of this, Professor Snape strode into the common room early one morning. Silver was fiddling with a darkness detector designed to change color in the presence of a Death Eater, jumping when the device emitted a muffled beeping sound in addition to changing color on the designated dot. After a few more seconds of muttering, the beeping stopped but the color remained unchanged. Confused, she looked around the room and spotted Professor Snape hovering nearby, watching her curiously.

"Oh, Professor. I didn't hear you come in."

"Obviously. What is that infernal thing?"

"A prototype I'm working on. The circle is supposed to change from yellow to green when in the presence of Death Eaters, to red when in the presence of someone who's Polyjuiced, and to blue when someone is Imperiused. It's a little difficult to test without treading into illegalities, so it's good that you're here for one of the settings. Thanks for that," Silver responded, smiling slightly before focusing on the device once more. "I wonder if I can adjust it to read Death Eaters who are redeemed or neutral? Nah, that's probably way too complicated for a simple device and it'd cause the price of the thing to skyrocket. Magic can't detect that sorta thing all on its own." After another minute of mutterings and wand work, she placed the device back into the bag at her feet and pulled out her notebook, eyeing the rest of her to-do list.

"Miss Sullivan?"

"Yes, Professor?"

"Why is your to-do list long enough to rival the absurdity of Miss Granger's?"

"Because I can't walk the hallways anymore and keeping busy helps the shadows of the night stay away."

She checked a few things off of her list, before she pulled a collection of wizarding photographs and spread them over the low table. She began arranging the photos in an order known only to her, muttering to herself once more. After a couple more minutes, she noticed that Professor Snape had settled in one of the chairs near her and was watching her work.

"Colin Creevy asked me to make a photo album highlighting his best work. He's hoping to get into a summer art program in London, and the application is due at the end of the week."  
"Isn't that something for Mr. Creevy to do himself?"

"Well, sure it is. He's going to make one too, and then we'll compare to see if we agree on it. He did the same thing for me when I applied, though honestly Dean's opinion was better since he's a fellow illustrator."

"What do you hope to accomplish from the program?"

"I want to learn how other artists work, to see if I'm especially if I'm abnormal in the ways of my technique or form. Plus, if I can expand my business to the Muggle world too, that's another way to get my art known. I'd prefer it within the Wizarding world, since I can make it with color changing ink or charm things differently, but Muggles will allow me to see it from a non-magical perspective."

"Do you think you will be accepted?"

"I can only hope at this point. Though if things go to hell in the next few months, I'll probably have to decline if it were offered. I don't want to pause my life because of 'could have' though."

Silver continued to sort through the pictures, though she wasn't able to fully concentrate. Professor Snape watched her for a few more moments, watching as she stacked and re-stacked the same group of photos three times.

"Are you still interested in learning Occulmency?"

"Of course, sir." Silver looked up at him, giving up on her work as she waited for him to continue.

"When are you free?"

"Mornings, usually, as I'm sure you know. Other than that, you know my class schedule and after dinner I meet my friends in the library until my tutoring sessions, which last until half an hour before curfew. Weekends are pretty flexible."

"Tuesdays and Thursdays after dinner, and Saturday after lunch. We will meet in my office, if that is acceptable?"

"Of course, sir. Thank you."

"Don't be late." He left the room with a swish of his robes.

When Silver arrived to her first Occulmency lesson, she saw a basin with a slightly glowing liquid in the corner. It was rather ornate looking, with a series of snakes entwined along the side. After a moment lost in the intricacy of it, she took a a seat across from Professor Snape.

"I see you were able to borrow a pensive, sir."

"Yes. Now, Occulmency is an incredibly advanced form of magic. Do not expect to succeed on the first try, despite your previous history. You were aided by a magical object, whereas now you must rely on your own skill. I will penetrate your mind, and you will attempt to throw me out or get presence of mind enough to use your wand. Prepare yourself."

Before Silver could question anything, he said the spell and dove into her mind. She felt him sifting through her mind, rooting through her earlier memories. He seemed to be searching for something, and she was powerless to stop him. She tried to muster the strength she had the last time he was in her mind, but it evaded her.

She watched as the eight year old version of her walked up to Mary's abuser and punched him in the face and the resulting chaos that ensued. It flickered to the time she fell out of a tree and broke her wrist, crying as she lay there alone and in pain. Another memory surfaced, of Jasper teaching her to count the beats in the music before he danced to them. Other memories flickered before Silver found herself looking back at her Professor, breathing heavily.

"You didn't even attempt to push me out." His voice was angrier than she'd ever heard it, and instinctively she shied away from it. "Try again."

Once again, Silver was assaulted with memories that she barely remembered having. She felt indignant that he pushed his way into her mind without warning once again and made a more severe attempt at kicking him out of her head. He landed on the memory of her stashing the locket into her trunk and pulled out with a scowl upon his face.

"You told me you destroyed it."

"Kind of hard to destroy," she gasped.

"Then why didn't you bring it to me?"

"Because I need it."

"How could you possibly need something that dangerous? It tried to possess you."

"No. Possession would have made me forget. This merely guided me and fed off my happiness. It's like a portable dementor that causes anger instead of sadness."

"Yet another reason you don't need it! You are a child! No matter how bright you are, you're as stubborn and foolish as every damn Gryffindor I've ever had the misfortune to teach."

"If I bring it to you, you'll bring it to Dumbledore. And he has the power to kick me out of school or worse, arrested."

"Why are you so adamant that I cannot help you? Merlin, Crystal, let me help you!"

Silver froze at the name, her face scrunching in confusion.

"Has this happened with you before? You and Crystal?"

Professor Snape sunk into a chair and put his head in his hands. Silver was astonished at how little composure the man had.

"That damn locket was featured in Crystal's mind when she taught me Occulmency. I had rebounded her attack and she wasn't able to shield it in time. She never let me help her with the big things, always turning to Lupin or Black instead."

"That's not fair of her. Friends are supposed to trust each other, and she clearly didn't trust you enough to want your help." He looked up at her with inscrutable eyes, watching as she warily got up and circled the room.

"I don't know why I need the locket, exactly. It draws me in, brings me a part of myself that doesn't normally exist in the light of day. I haven't opened the pocket of the trunk since I placed it there, but I can't escape its pull. If I think about turning it in to you or Dumbledore or whomever, it calls me back. When my trunk is open during the night, my visions of the graveyard are clearer, as if it wants me to know that its master will rise again. Voldemort's the Heir of Slytherin, and that's Slytherin's locket so if it gets destroyed before he has a full body, he might feel it more or something." Silver gave a mighty sigh as she sat back down in the chair. Her hands flew to her hair, tugging the roots gently.

"I've since re-located the pocket that it was encased in, attempting to muffle its effect. It hasn't worked yet."

The two were quiet for a while, as Professor Snape digested her words and processed the implications. He gradually gained his composure, striding back to the center of the room.

"You may remind me strongly of Crystal, Miss Sullivan, but you are more foolish than she'd ever been. If you do not wish for the destruction of this locket to come to the attention of the Headmaster, it does not have to. I do not see what he would have to gain from the knowledge of some dark trinket the Dark Lord once owned. Bring it to me for our next lesson, and get some sleep. Attempt to clear your mind before you do."

"I- All right, sir. As you wish. I will see you Thursday. Have a good night." Silver fled the room, pondering everything once more on the walk back to the dorms and began putting pieces together.


	68. Chapter 68

**Chapter 68**

"Are you all right, Silver? You've been staring at your Charms homework for ages," Luna commented, eyes fixed on her friend.

"Hm? Oh, yes, I'm ok. Lost in thought, is all."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"If you could go back in time and prevent your mother from dying, would you?"

It was silent for a few minutes as Luna thought the answer through. Silver's eyes stayed fixated to her face, which was common practice with the two of them when discussing serious topics.

"No," she finally replied.

"And your reasoning?"

"Mother's death was a tragic accident and it's taught me to be a bit more cautious when experimenting. Plus, if I were to make it so she lives, someone else could die instead. Or she'd die a week later in a different manner and I wouldn't want to spend my whole life preventing something that wants to pass."

"...I wouldn't either. Mother could have made my childhood easier had she lived, but I don't think it would have changed Father's treatment of me. Perhaps it would have been better hidden, though. I can't dwell on 'could have been' when I still need to figure out the present or future."

"The future isn't certain, even with your visions. They can be changed, and most likely will if someone changes their path."

"Can paths be changed so easily? The mess with Harry's future seems pretty certain."

"I like to think so. I could wake up tomorrow and dye my hair purple. That'd in turn cause people to look or think about me differently, which could then change their actions."

"Changing your hair is a lot simpler than changing the important bits."

"Small changes count, too. When you give a gift to someone, it can impact them in ways you'd never expect. A little kindness goes a long way."

"Yeah, because kindness is the way to win a war." Silver stuck her tongue out at Luna, amused when she responded the same way.

"Maybe not by itself. But kindness can win battles you didn't know you had to fight."

"A bit philosophical today, huh?"

"No more than you."

Silver made a non-committal noise to that as she returned to her Charms homework. The only sound for several minutes was her quill scratching across the parchment until she realized Luna wasn't working and instead staring at her.

"Knut for your thoughts?"

"Being an artist suits you."

"Oh?" Silver put her quill down, focusing on Luna once more. "How so?"

"You catch details that no one else sees and translate it into something easily understood."

"And how does that suit me, exactly?"

"Because you change lives by being yourself. Our friends understand me better simply because you accepted me as I am. Neville is growing more confident because you see it and encourage him to be the best version of himself. You do the same things in your art as you do with your life. And that's beautiful."

"Erm. Thanks, Luna." Silver's face grew a little warm as Luna continued staring at her.

"How's Audrey? Have you seen her since the Ball?"

"I've got a date with her next weekend, as a matter of fact. We've both been pretty busy, so I've only seen her in passing between classes." Luna hummed and finally returned to her own homework where the rest of the free period was spent in silence.

Thursday evening found Silver in Professor Snape's office once more. She felt the weight of the locket in her robes, the slight darkness of it pulling at her. When the Professor strode into the room, she felt the pull grow slightly stronger.

"Good evening, Professor."

"Miss Sullivan. Did you bring the locket?"

"Yes, sir." Silver pulled it out of her robes and handed it to him, careful to keep it wrapped in cloth.

Professor Snape examined it briefly, before placing it into his desk drawer. The pull that the locket had on Silver cut off abruptly.

"Is your drawer warded, sir?"

"Of course. Why?"

"The locket no longer calls me. I'm not sure why it affects me so."

"Dark objects can be unpredictable, which is why I will examine it alone."

"As you wish, sir."

"Prepare yourself."

The barrage of images assaulted Silver once more. He aimed for her visions this time, determined to learn something new. After a few attempts at throwing him out unsuccessfully, he chided her.

"You aren't even trying. I can feel it. Are you that weak?"

"No."

"You have managed it before, which is the only reason I bother spending my time on this."

"You realize this is only the second lesson? Didn't it take you years to learn?"

"But you act superior to everyone, Miss Sullivan."

"And you should realize that not everyone wears their whole personality on their sleeves. Why do you keep baiting me, huh? Are you trying to get a rise out of me, sir?"

"You need to be calm and collected when practicing Occulmency."

"So making me angry is to teach me how to keep my emotions in check?"

"Precisely."

"That's a load of crap."

"Ten points from Sytherin for language, Miss Sullivan."

Without warning, he delved into her mind once more. After a few minutes of merciless replay of every taunt, every shove, and every injury, Snape withdrew to find a panting and shaking Silver. A few minutes passed as he watched her regain her breath.

"Again."

He continued to dive in and out of her mind, where she was unsuccessful. By the end of the session, she was both emotionally and physically drained.

"Saturday's is at one?"

"Yes. Eat something before you go to bed."

"Fine. Good night." The door clicked loudly behind her.

Professor Snape pulled the locket out from his desk and began fiddling with it, trying to determine exactly what sort of magical object it was.


	69. Chapter 69

**Chapter 69**

 **Oops I almost forgot a date chapter! Hope you like it.**

"Hey there. Take a walk with me?" Silver asked Audrey with a smile, standing outside of the Beauxbatons carriage with a flower in her hand.

"Of course, amour. Let me grab my coat. It's still a little chilly out there."

Once she was ready, Silver led the way down to the Lake, holding Audrey's hand.

"How are your classes going?" Silver asked in French.

"It's a little dull, if I'm honest. The Professors do not challenge me here."

"I see. Has Professor Hagrid shown your class anything interesting? We've been studying fire crabs now that the Blast-Ended Skrewts numbers have dwindled down." Silver had to switch back to English as she spoke, since she was unclear as to how to properly say "Blast Ended Skrewts" in French.

Audrey's giggles indicated that she was amused by this, before she also switched to English.

"It's quite admirable that you keep trying. I still remember that time you wished me a good evening when it was morning."

"Well, I've got to learn sometime, and what better way than messing up. Think you can help me a bit?" Silver went on to explain what she was having trouble saying properly, since she'd gotten some strange looks from other Beauxbatons students. The two chatted easily about the differences between their two languages before they stopped underneath the willow tree.

Sitting there was a blanket and four empty jars. Silver filled the jars with Bluebell flames, casting the space into an eerie yet comfortable light. After a few more ficks of her wand, Silver turned the color of the flames to pink, orange, and yellow while leaving the last one blue.

"Oh wow. This reminds me of the garden from the Ball," Audrey breathed, settling herself on the blanket with her legs crossed. Silver smiled as a picnic basket appeared out of nowhere, laden with food.

"That was the point. Do you like it? Since our last date was a bit of a dud, I wanted to make it up to you. Studying together is nice, but it's not exactly romantic."

"I love it, Silver. Where did the food come from?"

"Dobby packed this one, I think. Ah, yes, there's one of his trinkets." Silver pulled out a green thimble, showing it to Audrey.

"Trinkets?"

"Uh huh. Whenever he sends something to me, he'll include a small trinket with it. I've been collecting them. In return, I'll give him a small drawing. We've been doing it for a couple weeks now."

"Aw, that's so sweet. Is that soup?"

"Yup. I told Dobby that it's still a little cold for you yet. It's chicken noodle, if the smell is any indication."

"With extra carrots?" Audrey's eyes shined.

Silver poured a cupful from the thermos and handed it to her. She happily blew on it before taking a sip.

"Ouch! Still too hot." She pouted before picking up a slice of bread and carefully dissecting it into equal sized pieces.

"Soup is supposed to be hot, silly." Silver nudged Audrey's shoulder, leaving it there to rest.

Audrey stuck her tongue out at Silver in return, before spying a bag of crisps.

"Crisps with soup? How peculiar."

"Huh, guess Dobby is a little new to the whole 'packing a picnic dinner' thing. Oh, wait, it's to go with the sandwiches." She pulled out a sandwich wrapped in paper, handing it to Audrey.

"This one is roast beef. What do you have?"

"Turkey and tomato. Want to switch? I don't like raw tomatoes."

Audrey swapped them without a word, fingers lingering on Silver's wrist. She then took another sip of soup and made a sound of contentment.

"You never did take my suggestion we spend the night together, you know."

Silver choked on her soup, violently expelling the liquid from her lungs. Once she recovered, she leveled Audrey with a slight glare.

"You've got to work on your timing, Auds. I could have died, you know."

"Then I'd have to give you the kiss of life, and I'm hardly going to complain about that."

Silver giggled at that, before weaving her hand into Audrey's.

"I'm not ready for that, yet. Sorry." She burrowed her head into Audrey's neck, seeking the warmth.

"Don't say one thing, then do something that contradicts it."

Audrey was a bit breathless as Silver kissed her neck gently. Silver smiled before pulling away a bit.

"How are your friends doing? It's been awhile since I've heard about them, and because we're different ages I do not share classes with them."

"Doing well, I suppose. Harry's understandably a bit anxious about the third task, since he doesn't know what it is yet. Hermione's busy with her schoolwork, as usual, though I've spotted her spending time with Viktor lately. Ron and Ana are getting closer, but I did see them heatedly debating something a couple of days ago. Neville's doing all right, though his pet toad hasn't been feeling well. Luna is, well, Luna. Not much phases her."

"What about the friends in your house? Are things getting better with Pansy?"

"No, she's still ignoring me. It's better than her constant insults, though. Draco is cross with her too, for her treatment of me. He's a bit of an unexpected ally, to be honest. I'm glad for it. The girls nights have mostly stopped, unfortunately, so I haven't been able to catch up with Millicent or Tracy for a while. Blaise has been busy with his new girlfriend."

"All right. At least I know I'm not the only one you've been neglecting. Your tasks keep you incredibly busy, and I miss you."

"What about you? How are your friends doing? Did Jarvis ever figure out why his sister was mad at him?"

"Oh, yes. He had apparently taken one of her books without realizing it. Why it had taken a week and a half to tell him is beyond me."

Audrey continued to catch Silver up on the rest of her friends, most of whom she hadn't met yet.

The two of them lost track of time talking, and before long the full moon was high in the sky.

"What's your stance on werewolves?" Silver asked.

"My stance?"

"Yeah. Are they deserving of rights like everyone else?"

"They aren't human on nights like tonight."

"So? They're human every other day."

"Yes, they are. They are widely feared, and that will hinder any rights they may gain."

"But they at least deserve the chance, right?"

"Of course. In a perfect world, we'd all be equal, but the world isn't perfect."

"No, it's not."

Silver snuggled into Audrey once more, before the two began snogging for a bit.

After a while, Audrey led the way back to the carriage. Once they were outside of it, Audrey turned to Silver with a suggestive lift to the eyebrow.

"It is past curfew, mi amor. Are you sure I can't convince you to spend the night? We don't have rules against it, as long as guests are discreet."

Audrey had expected Silver to say no right away, and was thus surprised when she considered it for a few moments.

"Is it all right if we only sleep? I don't want to risk getting caught out of bed, since Professor Snape will revoke my lessons if I am."

"But of course, Silver. I am not uncouth." Audrey adopted a playful snobbish look, before she took Silver's hand and pulled her into the carriage.


	70. Chapter 70

**Chapter 70**

Several weeks of Occulumency lessons later, Silver was finally able to throw Professor Snape out of her head, though it took a couple of minutes. By the end of the lesson, she reduced the time significantly, though she was still not able to successfully disarm him. Once she left for the night, Professor Snape began his studious experiments and examinations of the locket. He had figured out that it was merely a vessel to something far greater, but hadn't discovered the contents. He heard the whoosh of the Floo come from the fireplace and what he saw nearly made him drop the locket.

Crystal stood there, brushing soot off of her robes as her old friend stared at her in shock. She spotted the flash of gold in his hands and smiled slightly, recalling how much she had agonized over its influence.

"Figure out what it is yet, Sev?" When she spoke, it broke whatever trance had affected him.

"How are you here?"

"I Floo'd, clearly."

"From where?"

"My flat in Surrey. How have you been, Severus? The years haven't been wholly kind to you, have they?"

"They've never been kind."

"I guess you have a point there." Crystal settled herself onto his armchair, watching him as he regarded her in return.

"How did you get the scar on your collarbone?"

"I don't have one on my collarbone, though if I did it'd probably be from Bella stabbing me."

"She'd be more likely aim for your heart, and we both know she doesn't miss unless she wants to."

"Took you long enough to question who I was, Sev. I half expected the first question out of your mouth to be our code. Now, have you figured out what the locket is yet?"

"No. How did you know that I'd have it?"

"A hunch. I used to be known for those, remember?"

"Yes, yet those 'hunches' never seemed to extend beyond me or Lily."

"That you know of. It wouldn't do for me to project my ability for all to know. Mind if I make some tea?" She didn't wait for a reply, instead flicking her wand about for the kettle to settle upon the fire after being filled with water.

"I assume you asked if I figured it out because you know what it is?"

"I do, yes. I do not, however, know how to destroy it. Fiendfyre would be an option, but I've never been great at that. Perhaps basilisk venom?"

"I wish to know what the object is before we destroy it."

"Quite simply put, it's a piece of the Dark Lord's soul."

This time, Severus did drop the locket, where it landed on the desk with a small clang.

"His soul? Hmmm I suppose that would explain how he never truly died, as evidenced by Quirrell. A Horcrux."

"He will rise again, you know. Which side are you playing for these days? Last I heard, you were in the Dark Lord's upper ranks and proud of it."

"That is none of your concern."

"If you say so. Dumbledore probably praises you for what you do, huh? Taking points unfairly from other Houses because you feel like it, being an arrogant twat to most of the students, being a marginally competent teacher when you're not scowling all the time."

Severus stared at her with an unreadable expression on his face as Crystal made their teas, preparing it the way he liked it back at Hogwarts.

"I am better than marginally competent when the students are better than the average dunderhead."

"You may be right, but you've gotten so much angrier at the world, Sev. I wish it weren't that way."  
"I'm hardly angry. If I were, I'd be much more dangerous."

"So you don't threaten students for not doing their work properly? But we're getting off topic. Will you destroy the Horcrux? I have some basilisk venom if you don't want to use Feindfyre."

"And where, pray tell, did you get that?"

"I have my sources." Crystal flashed a smile as she took a sip of her tea.

"Mysterious as ever. Why must it be destroyed?"

Crystal gave him an aggravated look, making him put the pieces together.

"So that the Dark Lord can be killed eventually."

"If that's not something you want, or if you don't want to deal with the possible repercussions, I can destroy it instead. I imagine this thing would put up a fight."

"Probably." Severus sipped his tea, grimacing slightly at the cloying taste before setting the mug down.

"Your tea tastes have changed? Funny, mine haven't."

"Take it." Severus thrust it towards her. "The sooner the infernal locket is gone, the better I will sleep."

"It's been calling to you?"

"Ever so slightly, yes. It's enough to make sleep uneasy."

"All right, then. I'll owl you when I'm done. Want to come over for dinner sometime?"

He stared at her incredulously for a few moments before striding over to her seat and dropping the locket into her lap.

"No, I think not. This is the first time we've seen each other in years, and yet you've offered no explanation or reason. If that is all, Crystal, I believe it is time for you to go."

"That makes sense. Sorry for showing up without warning, by the way. I didn't want to give you the chance to reject me. I'll owl you at some point to check in, if that's all right? I want to make things right, Severus, if we can."

"Go, Crystal." Crystal nodded, before pocketing the locket and calling her address at the fireplace. She was gone in a swirl of smoke a moment later.


	71. Chapter 71

**Chapter 71**

Silver sat underneath the willow tree next to the Black Lake, a book propped on her knees. She was alone, for the moment. Pulling out Harry's two way mirror, she placed it on top of the open book before activating it. After a few seconds, Sirius's face popped up, spoon in his mouth and hair wildly flying everywhere.

"Heya, Prongslette! I'm a bit busy at the mo' trying to get this bloody thing to light."

"How are you talking so well with a spoon in your mouth, Siri?" Silver's amused voice caused him to nearly drop his wand and the spoon fell out of his mouth with a clang.

"You weren't who I was expecting."

"Clearly. What'cha trying to light, anyways? I can't see it from the angle of the mirror."

"I'm trying to make miniature dragon fireworks."

"And you're doing that inside...why?"

"Cuz they're not supposed to blow up like a regular firework. The goal is to make little fire orbs of different colors come out of it."

"To make it look like a chandelier sorta? With the dragon face in the middle so it looks like it's surrounded by a ring of fire?"

"Almost, though that's a brilliant idea."

"So how is that still safe indoors, especially if it's not tested?"

"Relax, Silver. I've got fire wards on the ceiling and it's on a burn proof surface."

"That's thoughtful of you. Learn that the hard way, did you?"

"Maybe." There was a clattering as he left the view of the mirror for a moment, returning with a pint of ice cream and the spoon.

"Ice cream at eleven? Have you eaten anything else today?"

"Nope." There was movement as he be-spelled the mirror to follow him. He settled into a huge maroon couch.

"Finally go furniture shopping, then? I've never seen that couch."

"Yup. It made Moony nearly pull his hair out in frustration. I needed the perfect couch, and this is as close to it as I could find. Had to change the color though."

"Was it green before?"

"Nah, an ugly mustard yellow. Got it from the old guy down the street, as he's moving into one of those nursing homes."

"So why are you making fireworks? Have the Weasley twins recruited you or something?"

"Who? Oh, Molly's kids. Nah, I figure if I make enough magical things I could sell them with your stationary or something. I need something to keep me sane when I'm not working."

Silver stared at him blankly for a few moments before a huge smile lit her face.

"You haven't met them yet. Merlin, how did I miss it? You, Fred, and George can make the rowdiest and most brilliant joke shop in the world."

"Say what now?"

"Fred and George Weasley are making plans to open a joke shop in the near future. I've been working on prototypes with them since I figured out what they were doing, and you'd be a major asset to that endeavor, though you'd have to keep a secret from Mrs. Weasly cuz she'd have a fit about it. No one else knows, except me and their friend Lee. They're also the kings of pranks here at Hogwarts and they gave Harry the Maurader's Map after using it themselves for four years."

Sirius was speechless for a few minutes, eating his ice cream in silence. He took in Silver's excitement and her flushed cheeks from the cold, hair flowing slightly in the breeze.

"You ok, Siri? You're being awfully quiet. Did I say something wrong?"

"No, Silver. I was thinking, is all. I'd love to meet the gentlemen who managed to use our map without our aid."

"Then why does it seem like you're hesitating?"

"I'm not hesitating. Bring them 'round once school lets out and we'll see what they've got."

"Ok, will do. I can see if they'd be able to help you with your fireworks, since I've seen some diagrams floating around of their own brand of them. Pretty sure they're the explosive kind, though."

"Fantastic! Now, vixen, I know you love me, but is there a reason you called?"

Silver snagged a biscuit from her bag, munching on it as she gathered her thoughts.

"Snape's been teaching me Occulmency the past few weeks."

"What did that dungeon bat do to you?" His face was suddenly enthralled with deep fury.

"His teaching methods are incredibly harsh. I've always thought he had a soft spot for me or something, cuz he actually talks to me instead of slinking around all the time. But then these lessons are brutal and degrading and I don't even know who he is anymore. You've always had negative feelings with him, so I don't expect you to understand what I mean. I've finally begun making significant progress with the skill, but it's...frustrating that Snape teaches it the way he does. It's like he wants to shape me into a mirror of himself: cunning, biting, and cold. I've gotten in several barbed arguments with my friends, simply because I'm not as _nice_ as I used to be, and it's grating on my nerves in a way that makes me anxious."

"How do you know he's not planting these emotions into you? He's a manipulate cold-hearted bastard without any regard to anyone's safety except his own."

"Because his delving into my mind is cold and calculated, with lack of any emotions. He's told me that is what it takes to be a successful Occulmens."

"Ugh, this conversation is better suited for Moony. He's the level headed one out of the two of us. I want to strangle Snape for causing you pain."

"Don't you know Occulmency?"

"Yeah, but haven't used it in ages. Not even sure I can, anymore, because of the Dementors."

"You had a pretty sane mind while in Azkaban. It shouldn't affect your training overmuch."

"Maybe. It's a feeling I get. You're worried about changing because of these lessons? Don't let it. Give yourself reasons to laugh and let go. Just because Snape's only able to do Occlumency while he's a cold bastard doesn't mean you're the same."

Silver munched on another biscuit as she thought. The two of them sat in silence for a few minutes.

"Sirius?"

"Hm?"

"Don't call me vixen."

"Whatever you say, love. Anything else on your mind?"

"Oh, yeah. Is it true someone's trying to claim the Selwyn House seat in the Wizengamont? I saw a bit in the paper about it."

"I don't know, I haven't heard anything about it."

"Cuz Fudge told me that the last known Selwyn was my mom, so it's a little sketchy if someone's trying to claim it."

"Yeah, well, the Prophet's not always reliable when it comes to news."

"I guess. Are you and Remus coming 'round for the last task? You're Harry's family after all, and it's traditional for them to come."

"I haven't heard anything about that. Has the Task been announced yet?"

"Nope. It's supposed to be announced on the first of May, so in a couple of weeks."

"All right, I'll write to Dumbledore and inquire about it. Harry thinks we're family?"

"Of course. He wouldn't stop chattering about the last conversation you two had last week. You really got a new sidecar for the bike?"

"Yup, and before you ask, Moony's double checking all safe-guards on it."

"Brilliant. Think you can send me some chocolate? I'm running a little low and I know you like snagging some for Moony's stash. Pretty sure Maurice thinks I run a shop of my own with how many bars I go through in a year."

"No problem, love. Do you need to go or can I run some ideas past you?"

"I've got all afternoon, though let me make myself a bit more comfortable."

She placed the mirror down on the root she was leaning against and conjured a blanket, a pillow, and a steaming cup of hot chocolate.

"Where'd you get the hot chocolate? You can't conjure food or drink out of nothing."

"Right. This is the normal time I'm down in the kitchens, so one of the elves usually has one sitting out ready for me." She scribbled a note before it vanished in a puff of smoke.

"That's a handy little trick Melby taught me last week. As long as I'm on Hogwarts grounds, I can send stuff to the kitchens. I think she got permission from Dumbledore or something, though, since that's pretty specific magic and House-elves don't usually know how to do magic with wands. Though I've heard that in the States it's not illegal for them to have wands."

"You're really great friends with those house-elves huh? It's not really something I understand, since they exist to serve, not be friends."

"It's cuz they don't know any better. When you've had generations of elves being nothing but servants, it's hard to adjust to the idea that they can be something more. Kreacher's not like most house-elves, as you very well know. How is he doing, by the way? Have you popped in Grimmauld Place since we left?"

"He's busy keeping the house clean from non-existent dust. I did catch him talking with Mother the other day as I was getting my spare robes."

"Ok. So lay these ideas on me. I'm sure Harry or someone will come find me, since I returned the Map to him."

Sirius happily began bouncing ideas off of her, having her compile a list of the successful ones as they whittled the day away.


	72. Chapter 72

**Chapter 72**

Crystal stood in her flat, looking over the two cork boards she had erected on the wall. The one on the left held a map with several different colored pins sticking out of it. There were pictures lining the edges of it with writing in underneath. The board on the right held a bunch of newspaper clippings, most of them from the Prophet. On the desk nearby sat the locket, with the light glittering off of it in a way the S was clearly legible. Crystal was muttering to herself as she pored over the information on the boards for the hundredth time.

Striding over to the locket, she picked it up and ran her fingers over the surface. The voice within tried to call to her, but she ignored it. Pulling out her wand, she summoned a vial of purple liquid and a bowl. The chatter from the locket increased tenfold suddenly, as if it knew what was about to happen. Crystal, however, pocketed the items and spun on her heel in a pop of Apparation.

She landed in a large forest, carefully glancing around to ensure no Muggles were within sight. She followed that up with charms to confirm that there were no living creatures within a hundred meters. She began walking deeper into the forest, until she came across a secluded clearing that gave a clear view of the sky. She had been here once with Lily's family, where she had watched in awe as the sky lit up with stars. After reminiscing for a few moments, she cast the charm once more to ensure no one was near by before she placed the locket onto a bare patch of ground. She pulled out the vial and readied it before digging up a memory long ago cast aside. She began hissing a string of Parseltongue, trying to hit the correct inflection as Harry had in her vision.

When she finally got it, the locket opened loudly with enough magic to blow her back for a few seconds. An unnatural mist settled around the clearing, effectively shutting her out from the rest of the world. Two heads came into view in a swirl of grey on either side of the locket face. The first, Crystal had expected. It was Silver, face and hair flawless as she stared down Crystal with the burning intensity of a thousand suns. The second was Luna Lovegood, her face as beautiful as Crystal remembered. The expression, however, was incredibly ugly and Crystal felt her heart lurch in shock at seeing Luna looking at her like that.

"You failed, you know," Silver's voice came, mocking and cold.

"Thinking you could change what happened to you? Idiotic," Luna's voice came after, her voice as unrecognizable in its biting tone as it was familiar.

"Your friends take pity on you, accepting you after leaving. How can they trust someone who won't even tell them the truth? That you returned because you failed by staying idle."

"How could anyone ever love someone as different as you? You're too perfect, correcting everyone ease's mistakes without amending your own. You're _pathetic_."

"You can't change anything. Nothing you do will be good enough."

Crystal was moving now, gripping the venom in a death grip as she took in their words. She moved towards the locket purposefully.

"Sirius is still going to die, and you'll be blamed," Silver said scathingly.

"No, he will NOT!" Crystal finally reached the locket and poured a little of the venom on each of the open picture frames. The Horcrux screamed hauntingly as smoke billowed out from it. The ghostly versions it had projected vanished, replaced by a set of red eyes glinting up at her. The screams died abruptly and the mists faded away. The sun peeked innocently through the trees on Crystal's right side, providing a shimmering light on the damaged locket.

Crystal kneeled in front of it, sobbing quietly from the shock of the whole ordeal. After a few minutes, she heard footsteps coming from the trees and hastily slipped the vial and locket into her pocket before swiping at her tear streaked cheeks. When the footsteps stopped behind her, Crystal forced herself to stand up and turn towards her new audience.

"Miss? Are you all right? I saw you while I was walking through the woods. I heard an awful scream, but I'm not sure where it came from." The brown haired Muggle man was holding the leash of a border collie, who was obediently staying by her master's feet. He was watching her cautiously as he saw her reddened eyes.

"I'm all right, sir. May I pet your dog? She's beautiful." The dog's tail wagged slightly as Crystal spoke.

"Yeah, of course. Her name's Roxie. Mind if I ask what you're doing out here alone?"

Crystal bent down to pet Roxie, stroking her well-groomed fur. Roxie, in turn, began reveling in the attention happily.

"I lost a dear friend a long while ago. I came here to remember happier memories, from when times were simpler. Her family brought us here to stargaze when we were girls. I guess I got a bit overwhelmed."

"I'm sorry for the loss. Grieving never truly stops. I lost my wife a few years ago, and some days it feels as fresh as the day I received the news."

"Thank you, sir. I should probably go and let you return to your walk. I appreciate you checking on me. It's not everyday someone will check on a stranger."

"It was no trouble. Have a pleasant day, miss. Come on, Roxie." The man walked off, waving when he reached the cusp of the clearing.

Taking a deep breath, Crystal pulled out her wand and did another detection charm, before Apparating with a pop.


	73. Chapter 73

**Chapter 73**

When Crystal appeared in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place, she sat down heavily at the table with her head in her hands. After a few moments, she heard the rattling breath of Kreacher approach and looked up in time to see him brandishing a broom at her. She stopped the handle by catching it in her hand before attempting to take it from the old house-elf. Surprisingly, he held onto it strongly and yanked it from her himself. Lifting his arms to strike her again, he was halted in his tracks by her words.

"Is that any way to greet an old friend?"

His eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Kreacher doesn't have friends."

"Silver isn't your friend?"

"Master Silver is the exception. Kreacher attacks invaders."

"I wouldn't have been able to Apparate directly in if I were an invader, Kreacher."

"Master Sirius didn't inform Kreacher of any additions to the wards."

"Well, to be fair, he wouldn't have to since he's the master and you're the servant. However, you're keyed into those better than he is, if I recall correctly."

"Who are you?"

"Crystal Selwyn. I visited a few times while I was still at Hogwarts, before Sirius moved out."

"The blood-traitor." Kreacher spat onto the ground in disgust.

Crystal scoffed before setting a pot of water to boil.

"I'll have you know, Mistress Black actually approved of me back then. Is anyone else here?"

"Kreacher and Mistress Black only, blood-traitor."

"Oh come off it, Kreacher. I won't have you disrespecting me simply because you don't recognize me. Not everything is black and white in the world."

Crystal set an alarm for the kettle before striding out of the kitchen. Kreacher trailed behind her, clearly not trusting her alone in the house. Crystal arrived at the curtains where the painting of Mistress Black hung, yanking the curtains back with a few motions of her wrists. Mrs. Black opened her mouth to begin shrieking at the disturbance in the house before she spotted Crystal glaring up at her.

"Hello Mrs. Black. How have the years been treating you?"

"Miserable, the lot of them. You disappeared, Miss Selwyn." The woman's eyes held disdain and suspicion. She looked to be on the verge of yelling once more, barely refrained from the shock of seeing Crystal standing before her.

"I did. And now I have returned to finish some business long ago put off."

"And that involves being in my house?"

"For the moment. I will be petitioning to Sirius to sell me the house, once I gain access to the Selwyn accounts once more."

"Are there no other Selwyns left?"

"None who are willing to claim the title of Lord or Lady. The circumstances of Claudia's death made things...difficult for others to stake a claim and thus she was decreed the last living Selwyn despite having a daughter."

"How that was kept under wraps is a mystery to me. Hiding a child in this world is notoriously difficult."

"Perhaps. Though Harry Potter was hidden for the better part of ten years, simply because our kind do not venture into the muggle world often."

The alarm for the kettle went off and Crystal flicked her wrist in a series of movements before turning back to Mrs. Black's painting.

"I will eventually un-stick you from this wall, and when that day comes, I will put the house on the market. You have my word that it will be to a worthy person or family."

Crystal closed the curtains with a wave of her wand before she returned to the kitchen. Setting out two cups, she prepared the tea. Kreacher was watching her curiously, no longer suspicious of who she was.

"What would you like in your tea, Kreacher? It's probably not good on your old back, being hunched over like that all the time. Take a seat, if you would please. I'd feel a lot better if you were resting before I begin my story."

Kreacher eyed her warily. Crystal could see the adamant refusal shining in his eyes, and before he could speak, she sighed heavily and pulled him to the bench next to her. He flinched heavily at her touch and pushed away immediately upon sitting.

"Kreacher will not sit like a wizard! Kreacher is a good house-elf, not spurred by filth of equality or respect."

"You are a good house-elf, which is why I respect you. The tea is merely a peace offering after I crash landed into your home after sixteen years of absence. You don't have to sit to drink it. I apologize."

Kreacher stared at her for a few minutes, watching her cradle the tea cup in her hands.

"You are Miss Silver, but older."

Crystal blinked in surprise before she breathed out a laugh.

"I forgot how observant you can be. Yes, that's correct. I go by Crystal, though, and please be respectful to not reveal that fact to anyone. My presence here will hopefully change things, but Silver can't know I'm here or else it'll create another time loop."

Kreacher shuffled his feet a bit before sitting and picking up the cup of tea.

"Why is Miss Crystal here?"

Crystal pulled out the remains of the locket and placed them on the table. Kreacher reached out a hand to touch it, transfixed, before halting in horror.

"You can touch it if you'd like. I cleaned it after the basilisk venom killed the Horcrux."

He picked it up, examining each side and their symmetrical cracks.

"I wanted you to know that your last promise to Regulus was complete. It always bothered me I hadn't spoken to him before he passed, since his locket was the one that sent me back in time in the first place."

Kreacher slowly put the locket down and picked up the cup of tea, taking a cautious sip. He hadn't had tea in years, since Regulus snuck him a cup in his youth and was then punished for it. Neither noticed the whoosh of the Floo from the other room, nor the footsteps as they approached the kitchen.

"Master Regulus did not be-spell the locket. Kreacher did."

"Really? That's some impressive magic, adding the layer of de-aging to it. I didn't take the chance to alter the timeline before this point, and for that I apologize. I may have been able to prevent Regulus's death if I hadn't been so stubborn. However, my readings of time travel have enlightened me a bit. If I had changed the past, this present wouldn't have existed and I never would have gone back in time. Thus, I wouldn't have the chance to change Silver's future."

"How did Regulus die?" The voice from the doorway made both of them flinch, and Kreacher was on his feet with the teacup shattered within seconds. Sirius stood there, face pale and hands shaking.

"Regulus found one of Voldemort's Horcruxes. He bypassed the security measures, and one of them killed him."

"Crystal," Sirius' voice was laced with warning.

"The Horcrux was in a basin full of potion in the middle of an Inferi infested lake. The effects of the potion make you crave water when it's done, and the only way to get it is by touching the lake. He ordered Kreacher to take the Horcrux to be destroyed and leave him behind. He wouldn't have been able to fight them off on his own, so he likely drowned."

"And there's another locket?"

"Yes, that Reg placed at the bottom of the basin for Voldemort to find before refilling it with the same potion. I had taken that locket from Harry, where it brought me back in time."

Sirius collapsed into the nearest seat, his face flitting through different emotions.

"He did the right thing, Sirius. He made the right choice, at the end."

"And you knew that he would. All that time, when you were encouraging me to keep tabs on him, it's because you didn't want me to hate him. And I did anyways, after he made clear his allegiance."

"You two had a complicated relationship. But yeah, that's part of the reason why I never let you forget the good times you had with him, even if you ended up resenting me for it. Because I knew he'd turn on Voldemort eventually. Kreacher-"

Crystal turned towards the elf, only to see that he had fled after cleaning up the tea cup. She sighed, before taking Sirius' hand and summoning him a cup of tea.

The two sat in near silence for a while, before Sirius spoke.

"You destroyed the Horcrux, then?"

"Yeah. Snape was pulling his hair out trying to figure out what it was."

"You got this from Snape?" His voice was incredulous and a tad angry.

"Yes, since it was in his possession."

"How did he get ahold of it? He could tell his master about it, and then where would we be?"

"Silver gave it to him. She's in the throes of her Occulmency lessons at the moment, and the locket was unearthed in one of her memories. And Snape promised not to tell anyone about it. When the man makes a promise, he stands by it if it's someone that matters to him. Fortunately, I still matter to him, even if he denies it."

"He was horrible when teaching you Occlumency, yet you still befriended him back then. How?"

"He needed a friend. I didn't handle nearly as well as I should have, since he lost two friends instead of one while at Hogwarts. Still doesn't excuse him being a miserable wretch, though."

"Damn straight. I was mirror speaking with Silver yesterday- she suggested I meet the Weasley twins to aid with their idea of a joke shop. What do you think? Did I do that last time?"

"Sirius." Crystal caught his eye as she set her teacup down. "I will not tell you what does or does not happen to you. However, I think you'd be a valuable asset to the twins' endeavors. If it pans out nicely enough, you can quit that job of yours and marry Remus."

She smirked wickedly when he coughed up his tea.

"Is that really a possibility?" He asked, once his coughing subsided.

"If you want it to be. Fred and George will open the shop regardless, but you're not a fugitive of the law so you can do whatever you wish."

"Think we could go ring shopping then, love? I'd like to be prepared."

Crystal smiled before she walked around the table and draped an arm around him.

"Please, Sirius, we both know I've been holding onto the ring since you guys graduated. Say the word, and it's yours. Maybe you can get me something, though."

The two laughed as Sirius led Crystal towards the Floo.


	74. Chapter 74

**Chapter 74**

"A maze?" Hermione inquired.

"Right. And that's not even the strange bit of what happened today." Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Silver were all sitting in the Gryffindor common room. Silver had finally been convinced that she'd be welcome, though that didn't stop her from glancing around furtively every few minutes.

She spotted Ginny across the room, clustered with a group of friends. Fred, George, and Lee were clustered around some papers, chattering quietly but excitedly.

Silver listened intently as Harry told the tale of running into Mr. Crouch at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. The fact that Viktor had pulled Harry aside to talk to him was suspicious in and of itself, but Harry's embarrassment over the fact made Silver conclude that it wasn't anything serious.

"Didn't Crouch have a son?" Silver mused aloud.

"Yeah. He was sent to Azkaban for his crimes as a Death Eater." Harry replied.

"And how did you find that out?" Hermione looked at him quizzically.

"Well, I hadn't gotten to that part in the story yet, Hermione."

"Oh. Go on, then."

"So after Fudge takes me to Dumbledore's office, they leave to search the grounds, right? And I see this glowing light coming from a cabinet. Inside is this basin full of blue liquid. I touched it with my wand before trying to get closer to it and I land headfirst into a memory. It was like Riddle's diary, where all I could do was observe."

"Sounds like a Pensive," Silver commented. "A lot of Occulmens use one to help sort their thoughts, and I'd imagine Dumbledore's head would be fuller than most."

"Yeah, Dumbledore told me that's what it was. Anyways, I watch Dumbledore's memory of a couple trials before the Wizen judge things-"

"Wizengamont, Harry."

"Right, that. And one of the people on trial was Mr. Crouch's son. He kept crying to his parents that he was innocent."  
"Mr. Crouch sent his own son to Azkaban? How horrible," Hermione said.

"Did you see anything else?"

"Oh yeah. Mr. Bagman was on trial for providing information to a suspected Death Eater, but he's so well liked, the case was dismissed. There was also Karkoff on trial, in an attempt to get out of returning to Azkaban. Snape is a Death Eater, can you believe it? I knew he was evil, but this proves it."

"Not everyone who is a Death Eater is evil, Harry," Silver pointed out.

"Yeah, right," Ron chipped in. "I'm sure Snape would be buddies with You-Know-Who the minute he returns."

"Maybe. Though I think he's loyal to Dumbledore at the moment," Silver replied. "I mean, why else would he stay in a job he hates if it weren't for a reason?"

"I guess. So how should I prepare for the maze? Mr. Bagman says it will challenge us in ways we'd never imagine."

I think you'll need to brush up on your Defense skills. Maybe Remus would have some suggestions, or Sirius."

"I'll ask them tomorrow. Good idea, Silver."

"You aren't allowed to ask for help, Harry," Hermione chided.

"Then what is he supposed to do, Hermione? Pour over books until he finds useful spells?"

"Well, yes."

"I can show you some of my favorite spell books. Millicent showed them to me, and they're best for Defense outside of the Restricted Section."

"That'd be great. Thanks."

The four of them talked the night away, until Silver had to leave for her Occlumency lesson.


	75. Chapter 75

**Chapter 75**

"Hey, Cedric!" Silver shouted over the half-dozen students clustered around the Hufflepuff.

"Hey Silver." Cedric flashed a grin at her. "What's up?"

"Got a sec? Or do you have class soon?"

"Nah, I have the next period free."

"Why would you spend it with this loser?" A pimply faced Ravenclaw looked between the two of them in confusion.

"She's my friend," Cedric replied. "And she's definitely not a loser, Avery."

"Whatever. See you later, Cedric." Avery pushed past Silver, purposefully knocking her books down as he went. Cedric lurched forward to catch them, but Silver had already stopped them from falling with magic.

"Sorry about him. We're working on a Charms project together. Do you want to hang out with us?"

"I was hoping we could take a walk around or something."

"All right, sure." He said his good-byes with little fuss from his friends, before he grabbed his bag and followed Silver out of the corridor.

"Chocolate?" Silver offered a few different choices. Cedric smiled as he took one, before he began munching on it thoughtfully.

"Thanks." Silver made a sound of confirmation, before they arrived at the moving staircases.

"Did you have a particular place in mind, or are we just wandering?" Cedric asked, after another minute of silence.

"In here," Silver directed, leading him into a comfortable alcove. There was a couch nestled in the corner, and the window seat was fashioned with cushions.

"Whoa, this place is pretty cool. How'd you find it?"

"I have a habit of traversing the castle aimlessly. Eventually I started finding new places to go. Pretty sure it's the castle feeding my sense of adventure."

They both settled on the couch, where Cedric sprawled out comfortably. Silver sat to one side, eyes on the window as rain spattered the pane.

"How's preparations going for the task?"

"All right, I suppose. There's only so much I can do before I'm within it though."

"That's true. With two champions for Hogwarts, have you ever thought about what would happen if you and Harry reach the goal first?"

"Not really. I'm fairly confident that I'll win. Harry's a great guy and a bit surprising with how much skill he has at that age, but I've clearly got the advantage."

"Maybe. Harry's good at anticipating and reacting to situations. I'm not sure if it's because he's constantly on edge or if it's something learned."

"You know him better than I do, so your guess would be better than mine."

"Uh huh." Silver replied. They sat in silence for a bit, with Silver staring out the window once more.

"Is there a reason you wanted to talk to me, Silver? Don't get me wrong, you're fun to talk to, but we don't know each other all that well, and this seems a bit random," Cedric remarked.

Silver turned towards him fully before catching his eye.

"I'm worried someone's going to die in this Tournament. The fact that it hasn't happened yet is making me antsy."

"And you think it's going to be me?" Cedric's brow furrowed in confusion.

"I think it's possible. Same as with anyone who's competing. I've already shared my concerns with Fleur and Viktor, but both shrugged it off. They knew what was at stake when they entered their names into the Goblet of Fire. I'm under no illusions that you didn't know the risks as well."

"Then why are you worried? Dumbledore and the Ministry had worked on this for months before it came to fruition. My dad wouldn't have wanted me to enter if he thought it was deadly."

"Maybe not. But they didn't account for a fourteen year old getting tossed into the mix, did they? There's a reason Harry was put into the Tournament, and I don't think it's because someone wanted him to have fun. There's something else going on here, and I'm concerned you and everyone else will be caught in the crossfire."

"Silver." Cedric grabbed her shoulders to keep her from turning away from him.

After a moment, their eyes met again and his smile of reassurance loosened the knot of anxiety a bit.

"If something happens to me, or Harry, or anyone else for that matter, it means it was my time. If my fate is to be eaten by a giant spider or strangled by vines, then that's how it's going to be. It doesn't do to dwell on the future, because all that does is depress you."

Silver nodded, and Cedric released her shoulders as he stood up to leave.

"Cedric?"

He turned towards her again, curious.

"Please be careful. The world wouldn't be the same without you in it."

"Merlin, Silver. It's not like I'm going to die, all right? I appreciate the concern, though. I'm going to go see if Cho's up for a spontaneous walk around the lake."

He strode towards the entrance of the alcove before he tilted his head back towards her.

"Erm, how do I get out of here? I don't exactly know where I am."

"Go straight until you hit stairs, then go down three flights. Take a right at the troll tapestry and you'll end up by the Transfiguration classroom."

"Awesome. Thanks, Silver!" Cedric waved before he walked off.

Silver moved to the window seat and watched the rain fall, mind blank for the first time in a long while.

The sky was beginning to darken a bit when he found her. Without a word, she flicked her wand at nearby lanterns and they lit, casting the alcove in a warm orange glow.

"Woah, this place is cool." Harry stuffed the Marauder's Map back into the pocket of his robes as he joined her on the window seat. Silver conjured a light blanket and placed it over them.

"Whatcha doing over here, Silver?"

"Nothing. Enjoying the rain," Silver replied, placing her head on his shoulder.

"You're always thinking about something, though."

"Not this time. It's nice, having my brain quiet. I didn't think it could be like that."

"I know what you mean. I get that feeling when I fly, where my head clears and there's nothing but me and the open sky around me."

"It must be difficult, not having Quidditch this year."

"It's not so bad...when I'm not busy thinking about what's going to try and kill me next."

Silver smiled fleetingly before she snuggled into his warmth more fully. Absentmindedly he began running circles around her back. She hummed in contentment, before she began thinking again.

"You know how worried I am about you, right? How you might die in that maze, or overcome by something to the point you won't be able to speak."

"Yeah, I know. But I'm practicing a lot, and there's only so much I can do before I'm actually there, you know?"

"Funny, Cedric same almost the exact same thing."

"Really? Huh."

"I was telling him my concerns about the Tournament as a whole, but especially this upcoming task. Visions of the possible future sucks, Harry."

"I can only imagine. Are Snape's lessons actually helping with that?"

"Yes, they are. Finally, I've been able to dream regular dreams again. Or not dream at all and get the full night's sleep undisturbed. It's not easy, keeping up the Occulmency daily. Professor Snape's a crap teacher at it though. He seems to think causing pain's the only way to learn discipline." Silver sighed heavily as she ran her hands through her hair.

"He's not a good man, even if you seem to think so."

"I don't think he's a good man. I think he's deeply flawed. That doesn't mean I can't respect him for what he's done in his life."

"He's a Death Eater, Silver. How can you possibly defend that?"

"Because being a Death Eater doesn't mean you can't make choices. Look at Peter. He made the choice to betray his friends, rather than trust them, out of fear for his own skin. Sure, it wasn't a great choice, but he's paying for it in Azkaban now. Father made the choice to exclude me from his life, yet had a rewarding career at Durmstrang for a time."

"He taught at Durmstrang?"

"Oh, yes, didn't I tell you that? Ana informed me when we first met."

"Are you angry at him for that?"

"For what? Living his life away from me? Maybe a little. He made his choice long ago."

"Would you ever give him another chance to make things right?"

"I'm not sure, Harry. He wasn't quite right in the head the last time I saw him."

Harry nodded in acceptance before leading the way out of the alcove. The two conversed a bit more before Silver gave him a hug goodbye and headed down to the Slytherin dorms.


	76. Chapter 76

**Chapter 76**

"Have you been avoiding me?"

Silver looked up from her sketchbook to see Audrey's hands on her hips, eyes flickering in annoyance.

"Not intentionally. It's been really busy for me lately."

"Right, which I understand. You've been distant with me when we do see each other, though."

Silver set down her colored pencil and snagged Audrey's hands from her hips, pulling her onto the bench next to her.

"I'm sorry, Audrey. I haven't been trying to neglect you, I swear. And I really like you."

"There's a but coming, isn't there?"

"Yeah. It's going to be supremely difficult for us to be together while you're at Beauxbatons, and I'm not ready for that."

Audrey huffed out a breath before leaning into Silver for a hug.

"I guess you're right, amour. I don't want it to end yet. We're magical together."

"I know. I'm sorry." Silver's eyes began tearing up as Audrey pulled away.

"Can we still be friends? Or would that be greedy of me?" Audrey's eyes filled with hope.

"Of course. Perhaps we can get together over the summer or something. My plans are minimal at the moment."

"Maybe. Maman was talking about a trip abroad, so we'll see. I hope things work out for you, Silver. See you around?"

At Silver's nod, she walked down the hallway with her heels clicking softly. Silver watched her go wistfully, before returning to her drawing with tears in her eyes. She couldn't focus on the lines anymore and instead wept quietly.

"Did you and Audrey break up? She looked sad as I passed." Hermione plopped down on the bench next to her. Neville sat down on her other side, offering his comfort. When he saw her crying, he looped an arm around her instead.

"Yeah, we did," she replied after a moment.

"That sucks. You two were adorable together," Neville commented.

"It's for the best. Hurts like hell, though."

Her two friends murmured their condolences, before the topic moved to schoolwork.

"Do you think Harry's ready for the last task?" Neville asked. "I know he's been practicing like crazy."

"As ready as he'll ever be," Hermione replied. "We'll have to wait and see tomorrow, huh?"

"Make sure he gets to bed early tonight, Hermione. He'll need the sleep. Maybe get Ron to make sure he falls asleep before going to bed?"

"I'll do my best."

"What're you doing after dinner, Silver? Your student canceled on you for the night, right?"

"Yeah. Chuck tells me he needed a mental health day after the week he's had, and who am I to deny that?"

"Want to help me in the Greenhouses? There's a lot of minor legwork that needs to be done."

"All right, sure. I'll want to change after dinner, so I can meet you there. Will Professor Sprout be around?"

"Uh-huh. She'll be overseeing the more finicky bits, since I'm still learning a lot about the plants in Greenhouse Three. Do you want to join us, Hermione, or will you be helping Harry with last minute preparations?"

"Helping Harry. Thanks, though. Shall we head to the library?" She grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder, waiting for her friends to follow.


	77. Chapter 77

**Chapter 77**

The day of the Third task of the Triwizard Tournament dawned sunny and clear. Silver was up with the sun, surprisingly well rested after a late night of crying. She supposed it was self-inflicted misery, however, since she broke up with Audrey in the first place. As she ascended the stairs, her ears picked up a sound of faint snoring.

Draco Malfoy lay on the couch, face as peaceful as she'd ever seen it. There was a emerald green throw draped around him, and his matching pillow had a small drop of drool on it. Grabbing her sketchbook, she began sketching him silently, discreetly placing wards on the steps to alert her of anyone coming. After nearly half an hour, she had a decent drawing of him when his brow furrowed and he began twitching. Placing her sketchbook back into her bag, she crossed the room and kneeled before his head before gently running her fingers along his face. She didn't dare touch his hair, which was her preferred method of soothing. When the twitching stopped and the brow relaxed once more, she moved to carefully stroking his back until his breathing lightened to the verge of waking. Resting back on her heels, she watched as he dazedly opened his eyes and saw her kneeling before him.

"A bit early to be worshiping me, isn't it Sullivan?" His voice was think with sleep, but his eyes were quite alert.

"It's also a bit early for your sassy quips, Draco." She shifted so that she was sitting cross legged on the floor, still facing him.

"Why are you here at the crack of dawn?"

"Why are you sleeping on the couch?" She countered. Draco flipped over so he laid on his back, arm casually placed behind his head as he turned towards her again. He watched her for a moment, debating with himself.

"I can't get the silencing charms to stick around my bed and I'd rather not have Blaise or Theo questioning me again."

Silver blinked in surprise, before she gave a gentle smile.

"So you decided to risk being caught drooling on your pillow and snoring in the Common Room instead."

He looked at her indignantly, thumping her on the head with his pillow before placing it back behind his head.

"Malfoys do not snore or drool. That'd be completely undignified."

"You're lucky it was me who came down or else you'd probably be the butt of everyone's joke for days."

"I told you, I do not drool."

"Uh-huh, sure."

Silver took a few seconds to look at the sketch she made of him before ripping out the page and handing it to him.

"Why are you giving this to me?"

"Because it's for you. I don't need it."

"You've gotten better."

"Thank you. It comes with practice."

It was quiet for a few moments as Draco stared at the ceiling and Silver traced the patterns of the couch cushion with her finger.

"I can teach you a silencing spell that sticks around the bed, if you'd like. The regular one doesn't usually last a whole night on its own."

"You modified the silencing spell? How?"

"Trial and error. Different motions and different enunciations yield varying results. I finally got it at the end of last year."

"You've been using silencing spells on your bed for that long? Why?"

Silver stared at him, making him put the pieces together before he nodded. He sat up and stretched his arms above his head, yawning.

"Do you want to head to breakfast? Or do you need to shower first? Your hair's kind of a mess," Silver smirked at his affronted expression.

"I shall return in a few minutes, if you want to wait."

He stood and used his wand to fold the blanket with the pillow on top before banishing it back to his room. Silver drew her wand and disabled the wards on the stairs as he left.

After a few minutes, Draco emerged with fresh clothes and neatly styled hair. Trailing behind him were Crabbe and Goyle, both sporting ridiculous looking bedheads. Stifling a giggle, Silver greeted them both with a wave and a smile before absently fixing their hair. Gregory had to stoop down for her to fix his, since he was a head taller than her. Both boys murmured their thanks before they left the Common Room. Draco hung back, seeming to wait for someone else to emerge.

Blaise's dark face appeared a moment later, followed by a sleepy looking Theo. They greeted both of their housemates before the four of them went to breakfast.

After dinner that night, everyone began making their way to the Qudditch pitch, where a ginormous hedge maze was visible. Silver could see the judges and the contestants on the edge, seemingly conversing about the upcoming task as she took her seat in between Luna and Remus. Neville was on Luna's other side, and Sirius was on Remus's. Hermione and Ron were in the row below her, next to Ginny and the twins.

"You look nervous," Remus commented. "You know you're not the one going into the maze, right?"

"Yeah, I know. Something major is going to happen tonight. I've known about it for months."

"Don't worry, Silver. Things are meant to happen for a reason. Even something as terrible as You-Know-Who living again," Luna's soft melodic voice calmed Silver, and she wordlessly squeezed her hand in thanks before turning her head towards the entrance of the maze, where Ludo Bagman was announcing the rules of the task.

It was pretty straightforward; the first to the Triwizard Cup in the center of the maze would be declared the winner. Cedric entered the maze first to the sound of cheers. The maze closed itself around him, obstructing him completely from the crowd's view. Harry was next, followed by Viktor and Fleur. The maze seemed to swallow each one up, lending an ominous feeling to the whole endeavor. Silver spotted Professor Moody on the edge of the maze, flanking the left side of it until he disappeared once more. The air was tense as everyone waited, before natural chatter began again.

"Who do you think will win?"

Silver heard a couple of students behind her debating heatedly about it, before Remus lightly tapped her on the knee. Turning towards him, she saw his tired smile as he casually held Sirius' hand. Sirius was excitedly gesticulating with his other hand, occasionally moving Remus's as well as he went over the finer parts of a prank he and James had pulled off when he was still at Hogwarts. The twins were joking merrily back and forth with him, yet absorbing every detail of his story, asking questions here and there. Ginny was also paying attention to the story, though she was in conversation with Hermione.

Remus cleared his throat, bringing her attention back to him.

"It's been awhile since I've seen you, Silver. How is the school year treating you?"

"Busy as ever, Remus. One of my students got an O on his last paper and he was so excited he tackle-hugged me in thanks. Considering he's at least twice my size, it was a bit startling."

Remus chuckled at the thought, before his attention was diverted by a flash of red sparks flying from the right side of the maze. After a couple of minutes, Fleur emerged unconscious, being levitated by Professor McGonagall. Ludo Bagman announced that Fleur had been claimed by the maze itself and was thus out of the running for the Cup.

Silver caught sight of Audrey on the edge of the stands, trying to get closer to her best friend. There were tears in her eyes but her expression was fierce as she gesticulated to Madame Pomfrey. After a few more seconds of heated argument, she was allowed into the medical tent set up.

"Harry told me you two broke up," Remus remarked quietly. "Are you all right?"

"I will be. I knew what I had with her would be temporary, no matter how wonderful. I hope I didn't make a mistake ending it before term was over, though." Silver's face became a bit stricken and was surprised when she felt Luna's hand slide into her own, the warmth comforting without words. She smiled slightly as she turned to Remus, catching his slightly confused look before it cleared.

"It's for the best, if you can't make the long-distance part work. Hopefully you'll remain friends?" At Silver's nod, he continued. "That's good. It's not always possible to stay friends with an ex, especially when it's your first. Will you be visiting us this summer?"

"That's the plan, at least at the moment. I want to spend some time with Margie if I can, maybe visit her brother for his birthday."

"I thought you hated his wife?" Ginny commented, turning towards them.

"She's a pretentious snob, of course I hate her. However, I'm hoping being a mother would help that a bit. She had twins last month, and they're a handful from what Margie tells me. Besides, I'm older now: maybe I can hold my tongue."

Sirius barked a laugh at that, before everyone turned to see Viktor emerge from the maze levitated by Professor Flitwick. The group fell into a tense silence as Bagman proclaimed Viktor's failure at acquiring the cup. Hermione and Ron clutched at each other, awaiting news on their best friend. Remus stared at the entrance of the maze with his jaw tense. Silver looked around and spotted Dumbledore waiting for the winning champion to appear. She couldn't see his eyes from where she was sitting, but his posture was more rigid than she'd ever seen. It was subtle enough that no one else noticed, aside from Remus.

Remus's eyes narrowed towards the maze, and Silver felt rather than saw him tilting his ears forward. The full moon was a couple of days away, yet she knew some of his wolf-like tendencies could show up. The minutes ticked by, each one more tense than the next.

Suddenly, there was a flash of blue light as the Tri-wizard Cup materialized at the front of the maze. The cheering began instantaneously, until there was a female scream of horror. There were murmurs about a dead body, and Hermione immediately began sobbing into Ron's arms. When the chattering confirmed that it was Cedric who was dead rather than Harry, Silver stared in horror as Harry clutched desperately at the body, shielding it from view. As she tried to get closer, flanked by Sirius and Remus, Professor Moody yanked Harry away from the body and dragged him away towards the castle.

Suddenly remembering a vision long ago forgotten, Silver changed direction, heading for the other end of the stands. Sirius was on her tail in an instant, feeling the urgency but not understanding why. As they trudged towards the castle, they spotted Professors Dumbledore, Snape, and McGonagall hurrying towards it as they entered the side doors.

"What's happening?" Sirius panted from beside her.

"Harry was taken away from the body by Professor Moody."

"Why is that a problem?"

"Who else would understand the needs of grief than an Auror who has been through plenty? He's lost his own son and several other co-workers in his career. Why would he suddenly yank a teenager from somebody he most likely saw killed?" _Especially when he knows his Master wants to kill Harry himself,_ she thought.

"You think someone is impersonating Moody?"

"Yes, but I don't know why he's revealing himself now. Goddamn it!" She stopped suddenly, causing Sirius to crash into her.

"What's wrong?"

"It's not my time to interfere. The Professors will handle it, which is why they're there. I knew this was coming, but I didn't understand! If Harry gets hurt from this after that stupid maze and that stupid graveyard it'll be my fault. I didn't know, I didn't know..." She suddenly falls to the ground after tripping over a rock and stays there. Sirius stares at her in disbelief before stooping down to her level.

"What graveyard?"

"The one that's been haunting my nightmares all bloody year. As soon as I began dreaming normal dreams, the horror of that graveyard began fading. Never forgotten, but not as important. I didn't believe it'd still come true, even though there's no basis for why I thought that."

She froze as she came to another realization.

"Cedric is dead. Voldemort's alive again, and my father is missing a goddamn hand."

"What?" Sirius' voice was horror stricken. "Voldemort is alive? How?"

" _Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son. Flesh of the servant, willingly given, you will revive your master. Blood of the enemy, forcibly taken, you will resurrect your foe."_ Silver whispered quietly. "Those were the words spoken to revive him. And I dismissed it."

Sirius hesitated, before he reached out to embrace her. Violently, she pushed him away and began running towards the Black Lake, tears streaming down her face. She tripped over a root and curled up into herself as she cried. Her entire body quaked, and when she felt a warm canine head nuzzle its way in between her arms and legs, she clutched to him desperately. Strangely, it began to drizzle lightly around them both, and there were small crackles of energy bouncing off the lake.

The two sat like that for a long time, before Silver slowly came back into herself. She shut the emotions down with difficulty before she gently pushed Padfoot away. Standing, she brushed some grass off of her pants and began walking back towards the castle, unaware of the trail of lilies she left in her wake.

 **A/N I realized belatedly that I added a bit of info about Moody that's not actually canon. Oh well, it's my story I can do what I want. Minor edits done on 11/17 since I forgot that Silver knew that Moody was Crouch under Polyjuice. *shrugs. Thanks for reading.**


	78. Chapter 78

**So I feel like this was one of the hardest chapters for me to write so far this month. Thanks for sticking with me, and sorry if it's a crap chapter.**

 **Chapter 78**

The last week of term was grief stricken in the wake of Cedric's death. The days were sunny, mocking the castle dwellers with its cheerfulness. Cho Chang was seen with tears in her eyes no matter where she was, and many other students were no better off.

Harry was declared winner of the Tournament and given the prize by Minister Fudge. When Harry tried giving it to the Diggorys, they refused. Instead, he gave it to Fred and George to help fund their shop, unaware that Sirius had already begun donating to their cause.

Silver became almost completely unresponsive to the world around her. Each of her friends tried to get her engaged in conversation, but even Luna failed. The only person Silver could stay in the same room as for more than a few minutes was Harry. After Cedric's funeral, she disappeared completely, causing many to worry about her even in the midst of their own grief. Dumbledore gave a speech at the end-of-the year feast, proclaiming that Voldemort had returned and that Cedric's death was a tragic byproduct of that.

The train ride home was mostly silent. Silver's absence was felt heavily. Harry's was coupled with the dread of having to return to the Dursleys once more, since Dumbledore had insisted that he return. Midway through the train ride, however, Hermes perched on their open windowsill, feathers ruffling harshly in the wind. Hermione quickly led it inside, where it proffered its leg to Harry before flying off once again. Hastily, Harry opened the letter and nearly sagged in relief upon seeing Silver's handwriting.

 _Harry-_

 _Forgot to tell you, Margie will be picking you up from the train station. You're staying with us for a few days until Sirius gets your room ready. Ministry approved his guardianship yesterday, and he was insistent to get you the right furniture._

 _See you soon,_

 _Silver_

Next to her name was her unique coat of arms, which flickered between colors before settling on green. On the front of the envelope was a bouquet of wildflowers, with _amor vincit omnia_ underneath it in green ink.

"At least she's ok," Hermione commented, after reading the letter.

"But it doesn't say anything about where she went or when you'll see her," Ron countered.

"She'll probably share that when she's ready," Harry replied, a bit obviously.

There were murmurs of agreement before conversation began once again. When they approached the last leg of the journey, the compartment opened with a click.

Standing in the doorway was Draco Malfoy. His clothes were as impeccable as ever, but there were small bags under his eyes. He glanced around the compartment quickly and attempted to close the door when he didn't find what he was looking for, though Harry spoke up before he could.

"Looking for something, Malfoy?" His voice was devoid of its usual bite when addressing the Malfoy heir.

"None of your business, Potter." Draco's voice, however, held so much venom it made several of the conparment occupents flinch.

"She's not here," Neville spoke up. Draco's eyes flitted to him before he scowled.

"Obviously. Is she in the loo, then?"

"No. We don't know where she is, actually. She's been missing since the funeral."

"And no one thought to inform me?" His voice cracked before the Gryffindors and Luna saw him literally shut his emotions behind a mask of indifference.

"Good to know. I will be sure to write to inquire for her whereabouts. Until next year, Gryffindorks."

He strode out of the doorway before anyone could stop him, leaving a bunch of befuddled teens in his wake.

"That was weird," Ron remarked.

"I wonder if Silver and Malfoy were closer friends than any of us realized," Hermione replied, before turning to Luna and then Neville. "Do you know if that's the case, Luna? Neville?"

"Well, I've seen them together more the past few weeks, though Silver mentioned it was because she was teaching him something. She refused to tell me what, though."

"Proabably her special silencing spell. She's gotten really good at it," Luna commented.

"Special silencing spell?" Harry echoed.

"Mhm. She made a custom silencing spell so she wouldn't wake up her roomates when she wakes up in the middle of the night."

"Really? That's fascinating. I'll have to ask her about it," Hermione replied, always eager to learn.

The train pulled into King's Cross at that moment, where they each said their goodbyes and went their separate ways.

Silver sat in a lavish drawing room, staring at a painting. In it was a young woman no older than twenty-five dressed in sky blue dress robes. Her blond hair curved around her face in pretty ringlets, pointing to the necklace on her collarbone. The dark blue sapphire pendant sat in silver backing. The bail at the top was an elegant S, connecting the pendant to the chain. Next to the woman was a younger Jasper Sullivan. His sandy hair was neatly styled, and his deep red dress robes complimented the woman's nicely. He wore a relaxed smile as he held his wife's hand, wedding band flashing in the light of the painting. As Silver watched, he brought Claudia's hand up to his mouth and kissed it, causing her to demurely blush as her smile brightened.

As footsteps approached the room, Silver adjusted her position on the couch so she was sitting like a relaxed queen. Her eyes never left the painting though as she watched the loop begin again. When the footsteps abruptly stopped at the doorway with a sharp inhale, she focused on her own breathing to keep from looking at him.

"Silver," Jasper breathed as he stood at the door. Within seconds, he crossed the room to stand a few feet away from her. Silver's eyes flicked to his left hand, where a shimmering silver hand reflected the little light in the room. He looked at her defiantly, unashamed of it.

"It's true, then. The Dark Lord's plan came to fruition."

"Yes, and he will be more glorious than ever."

"So you say. Were you the one who killed Cedric?"

"Who? Oh, the other boy. He was expendable."

"His family wouldn't see it that way." Silver looked away, back at the painting. Jasper stood there, unsure what to do. This was the first time he'd seen her in years, and yet she wasn't angry at him.

"Why are you here? How are you here?"

"Took the Knight Bus to the nearest town, then walked the rest of the way."

"I-Can I get you anything? Water? Tea?"

"Cedric's life back would be a start, though that's not something you can do. I'm surprised we're not yelling at each other, honestly."

"Me too." Jasper sank onto a loveseat next to the fire, eying her as if she were going to explode.

Silver sighed heavily as she tipped her head back, closing her eyes. Her wand was in her hand, loosely pointing towards the fireplace.

"Why did you leave me, Dad?" Her voice was quiet.

Jasper hadn't been expecting the question, and turned it over several times in his mind. Silver could nearly feel him trying to think of the best lie to placate her, so she spoke once again.

"If you're looking for an excuse, don't bother responding. I filled in the answer long ago, but I never actually asked you for the truth."

"And what answer did you provide?"

"I caused Mother's death, and you loved her more than me. I was too much like her, so you cast me out. That, coupled with your growing madness, made you despise me even more."

It was quiet for a few moments as Jasper collected his thoughts.

"My madness, as you call it, grows worse every year. My time teaching taught me when I have something to focus on, it helps drive it away for a bit. When your mother died, I did blame you. I blamed everyone. Her family blamed me, and since they didn't know about you I couldn't give you to them."

"Why not send me to the States, then? I remember getting presents from your family back then."

"I was barely coherent enough to arrange your mother's funeral arrangements and her will. Despite what you think, my madness was already beginning to manifest before you were born. Claudia held it at bay with her kindness. You get that from her."

Silver was silent for a few moments, before a tray with biscuits and tea appears between them. Jasper looks at in surprise, before his eyes fill with fear.

"Quickly, you must hide. My Lord is coming, and he is unaware of your existence. You must-" he cut off as Voldemort strode into the room. When Voldemort saw Jasper was not alone, he tilted his head inquisitively.

Silver turned towards him, eyes cast downwards and posture demure. She did not rise from her seat, but bowed her head respectably. She knew that if she mistepped, she'd likely be killed regardless of who she was.

"Who's this, Jasper? A bit young to be a whore," Voldemort's voice sent a chill of fear down Silver's spine, though she was careful to hide it. She also firmed up her Occlumency shields by forcing her breathing to regulate. Silver could sense Jasper bristling slightly at the words, before seeing him bow in her peripheral.

"Someone from my past, my Lord. Silver, say hello to the Dark Lord."

"Hello, sir," Silver obeyed.

"Now, now, Jasper. Surely I taught you some manners. Offer her some tea." Voldemort settled down in the loveseat, effectively kicking Jasper off as he scrambled to obey his Lord. Silver had to force herself to maintain a cool facade, since the image of her usually stern father fumbling around like a scolded school boy was entertaining.

"May I look up, sir? I didn't wish to offend you by disrespecting your status."

"Of course, Silver," he replied silkily.

Silver looked up to see the face that had haunted her dreams. His head was completely devoid of hair and almost serpentine in appearance. His hands, which were steepled slightly in his lap, were bony and what little she could see of his body not obscured by his robes suggested that he was lithe and quite tall.

"You are quite fearsome, sir."

Voldemort chuckled in surprise, eying her critically. He had luckily not noticed the painting in the room, else he would have seen the resemblence between Claudia and Silver.

"It is not the ideal body, I will admit, but it is better than the primative form I had been in before. You do not seem startled by my sudden appearance here. Why?"

"Your return was announced by Professor Dumbledore, though it's doubtful many will believe him if the Minister won't back the claim. Which he won't because he's a bumbling idiot. Quite dangerous territory for those who oppose you if no one believes you've returned."

He regarded her quietly for a moment, waiting for her to continue. Jasper was to the side of him, trying to discreetly convey that she should keep talking.

"I discovered Jasper was a Death Eater long ago, and sought to check on him before I return to my gaurdian for the summer. My apologies if I've intruded upon your plans with him. I can leave, if you wish."

"No need for you to leave. This was purely a social call, since I am in need of a home that doesn't reside in filth. What do you say, Jasper? If you are unwilling to house me, I can probably convince Lucius..." He trailed off in thought.

"Of course, my Lord. I would be honored to have you stay here. I will arrange with the house-elves to prepare you one of the empty rooms of your choice." Jasper left the room thoughtlessly, so consumed with pleasing his master he left Silver alone with Voldemort.

"Well done, sir, getting him to leave without him realizing it."

Voldemort regarded her silently, assessing something only he could see.

"Were you his student?"

"No, sir. I attend Hogwarts."

"And your House?"

"Slytherin, sir. I just finished my fourth year."

"Ah, the same year as Lucius' boy. What's his name, again?"

Silver knew he was testing her knowledge, and also trying to catch her in a lie.

"Draco Malfoy, sir. He is one of my academic rivals."

"Who is top of your class?"

Silver blinked at the unexpected question. She didn't think he'd care about that sort of thing.

"I am, sir. Followed closely by one of my friends, then Theodore Nott, then Draco. Draco and Theodore have been competing for the number three spot for years, since they can't quite get the top spot."

"What is your favorite subject?"

 _Why is he asking such arbitrary questions?_ Silver asked herself, before she realized he was trying to get into her mind by lowering her guard with the social niceties.

"Transfiguration, at the moment, though I also enjoy Potions and Charms. Professor Snape is a challenging teacher."

"Hmm, he would be."

"What about you, sir? Did you attend Hogwarts?"

"I did. Also at the top of my class, though most of the subjects bored me."

"It probably wasn't challenging enough for someone of your caliber. Your reputation succeeds you. Terrifying, but brilliant. Fear is a great tactic for getting respect, though personally I think kindness wins more battles."

At that moment, Jasper burst back into the room, breathing heavily. He glanced furtively between the two of them, before shuffling his feet to the tea service, pouring himself a cup of tea. No one in the room spoke, though Silver looked at him in slight confusion. Without a word, he prepared a cup for Voldemort. After a moment, he glaced back at Silver, who nodded slightly. He gave her a cup of tea a moment later, before Silver shifted over on the couch for him to sit next to her.

The two men began engaging in casual conversation while Silver sipped her tea. They were avoiding any sensitive topics, which was understandable since Voldemort still did not know who she was.

"The Selwyn House has an offical heir once more. After that silly business with your wife's death, everyone believed the position to be cursed. And yet, she returns."

"Why was it believed cursed?" Silver asked innocently. Both men glanced at her. Jasper had forgotten she was in the room, while Voldemort had let the information slip to see how she would react.

"Because everyone who tried to claim it got an incurable disease. Rumor has it that it was a strain of Dragon Pox, but it was more intense."

"Did they die?" Silver's eyes widened in horror.

"Some did, yes. Those who survived had their lives significantly shortened."

"Who claimed the seat?"

"Her name is Crystal Selwyn. The press hasn't gotten ahold of the information yet, but I would expect something in the papers soon. It is pretty big news and would take away from the tragedy of the Tri-Wizard tournament."

"Yeah, a student dying is bound to attract notice, even if Fudge doesn't acknowledge what it really means." Silver replied, face blank. She could feel Voldemort attempting to breach her mind once more, and she met his eyes in defiance. They were red, nothing like the pleasant brown of the diary version of him. The attempt became more forceful, as she expected, and she sent him a second hand vision of Snape emerging from a closet in Neville's Gran's clothes. Shock graced his features for a second before they shuttered once more.

"Your Occulmency is impressive," he commented.

"You know Occulmency?" Jasper asked, shocked.

"Thank you, sir. I'm quite proud of it, since it's only been a few months."

Voldemort nodded in response, while Jasper stared at her in amazement.

"I should go. I've got a long way to get home, since this house isn't set up with Floo and I cannot Apparate yet. Thank you for the conversation, and I'll try to visit again, Jasper." She stood, placing her teacup back in its saucer on the table. She slung her bag around her shoulder and was nearly to the door when Voldemort's voice sounded.

"Wait."

Silver turned to him once more, before bowing ever so slightly. Voldemort's wand was out and directed towards her.

"Tell me who you are, and why I shouldn't erase your memory."

"Look above the fireplace to figure out who I am. As for erasing my memory, you may do as you wish. I wanted a chance at reviving my relationship with Jasper, but if he continues to serve you, we will never see eye to eye. I know your cause, Lord Voldemort. And I will not stand behind it. Good night."

With that, she swept out of the room. Voldemort's spell rebounded off of her silent shield, before she fired a stunner behind her and ran down the corridors.

"Leona?" Silver called. A female house-elf appeared down the hall before she passed it.

"Oh, good you're still here. I was afraid you would have been dismissed long ago. I know it's been awhile, so you might not remember me..."

"Mistress Silver! You have grown up!" Leona's eyes filled with tears as she bowed down low with her nose nearly touching the floor.

"Yeah, I have. I missed you. Um, I'm sort of in a hurry, though, so we can catch up some other time?"

"Of course, Mistress. How can Leona be of service?"

"Can you please Apparate me to Little Hangleton? It's not too far."

"I cannot, Mistress. Tis against the Master's wishes."

"Bummer. Thanks anyways, Leona! I hope you're well, and if you have a moment to pop in at Hogwarts, I've got some friends there that'd probably like you, though I don't know how much freedom you have outside of the Manor."

"Not a lot, Mistress. But Leona tis happy here. Safe travels home!"

Leona had escorted Silver to the front doors, where she ran down the road to the nearest street and flagged down the Knight Bus to go home.


	79. Chapter 79

**Chapter 79**

"This won't be easy for you to do." A woman with jet black hair sat behind her desk, glasses perched on top of her head. Her hands were folded loosely on the desk as she spoke to the other person in the room.

"The Ministry approved me, Amber. Half of the battle has been won," Crystal replied.

"You're a woman who's been away from our courts since you graduted Hogwarts, Crystal. No matter how much sway you once had-"

"I didn't have that much power. Claudia was always better at convincing others. I was the placeholder, and we both knew that."

"And yet she entrusted her fortune to you, what little was left of her dowry, and willed you as her successor despite dropping off the face of the Earth upon graduating. All for mysterious reasons. I've personally read through that will a dozen times, and there's nothing that states _why_ you were left everything."

"It doesn't matter now. I will need access to all open cases of the Wizengamont...Isn't that something Noble houses do?" Crystal hesitated when she saw Amber shaking her head sadly.

"No, and that's part of the problem. You'd never shown much interest in what goes on behind the doors of the Ministry, the politics of it all. You need a mentor if you hope to get any sort of sway in the court, and many times, galleons as well to line the pockets of the heavy hitters."

"I'm no lawyer, Amber. That's why I sought your council, remember? Long ago were the days I thought I could take the world on alone."

Amber looked at her for a moment, before standing and moving around to the front of her desk. She leaned on it casually as she let her hands fall to her sides.

"Why is this so important to you, though? What do you hope to gain from all of this?"

Crystal's eyes hardened slightly, watching the other woman's movements with a glint of suspicion.

"I wish to make a difference in the Ministry, and I can't exactly do that while I teach in the States. Who would you recommend I ask for mentoring?"

"Hmm..." Amber's fingers tapped the top of the desk in a random rythm, lost in thought.

"Well, it depends on your angle. Several of the older pureblood families are known to tip the ears of the Wizengamont and other prominent members of the Ministry under the guise of friendship or favors. The names would be familiar to you, I'd wager. Making friends is probably your best bet, though since you don't work here, it'd be pretty difficult to do that."

"And what if I were interested in employment? I did get my N.E.W.T.S after all."

"Then you'll have to speak with the employment office. They'll be able to direct you to the available positions."

"All right. Thank you, Amber." Crystal flashed a smile before she stood to go.

"No problem, and if you need anything else, don't hesitate to write. Give my best to Sirius, ok? I'm glad things are working out for him."

"What do you mean?"

"His gaurdianship for his godson finally got approved. He didn't tell you?" Amber's face reflected a mixture of shock and embarrassment.

"It must have slipped my mind. It's been a difficult few days."

"Understandable. As I said though, write if you need anything, all right? I missed you."

"Will do, thanks again Amber. Have a good day."

Crystal left the office and her small smile fell as her mind whirred.

"Crystal Selwyn, is that you?"

Crystal turned to see Narcissa Malfoy striding elegantly towards her. Draco Malfoy was trailing slightly behind her, eyes fixed on an oscillating scale set outside of the shop.

"Narcissa. How lovely to see you. You look beautiful, as always," Crystal flashed a radiant grin, which seemed to throw the other woman off gaurd a bit. She intentionally made her voice higher in an attempt to make it less familiar to Draco.

"I was not aware you had returned to London," Narcissa replied, with a small smile of her own.

"Yes, I have. Doing some shopping?"

"Draco needed new robes. Normally, I'd mail order them, but he's grown so much he needed to get re-fitted."

At the mention of his name, Draco looked towards Crystal, who eyed him curiously in return.

"Is this him?" At Narcissa's nod, she held out her hand to the teen. "Hello, Draco. Crystal Selwyn, pleased to meet you."

"You as well." He shook her hand firmly, though his eyes still lingered on her face.

"I apologize I hadn't written when I returned, Narcissa, but I wanted to make sure my stay would be on the permanent side. How have you been?"

"Oh, it's not a problem. I'm sure you've been busy. I heard about you finally claiming what was left to you in Claudia's will. It's only been twelve years since she passed."

Crystal blinked in surprise at the bitterness laced in her tone. However, the woman still sported a polite smile and Crystal realized that Narcissa Malfoy would forever need to hold public appearances. Crystal minutely adjusted her posture to more reflect the other woman's.

"It's been a rough few years, and Claudia's death took more of a toll on me than I thought it would. I left, thinking I'd be back in no time, but before I knew it I had grown an entirely different life in the States."

"What made you return?" Draco unexpectedly spoke up. The two women had forgotten he was still standing there, athough he had managed to discreetly bring them off of the main street to the edge of an alleyway.

"Sirius Black's freedom from Azkaban," Crystal replied.

"That was over a year ago, though."

"Yes, well, it's not always easy selling one's house when you wish to move. It took me several months to get everything situated before I could even consider coming back. More to the point, Narcissa, how have you been?"

"I've been perfectly fine. We must simply catch up at a later time. I have an appointment to attend. Good day, Crystal. Come along, Draco."

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Miss Selwyn."

"And you as well, Mr. Malfoy."

The two walked off, while Draco looked back at her until they turned into the hairdresser down the road. Crystal resumed her browse of the wares outside the shop, before she felt an intense stare on her from accross the street. Looking up, she inadvertantly caught the bright eyes of none other than Luna Lovegood. She trembled slightly under the younger girl's gaze, recalling the horcrux's twisted version of her. With a murmur to her father, Luna quickly walked over to Crystal.

"You seem to have an infestation of Wrackspurts, madam. Maybe I can help."

Crystal felt the giggle escape before she could help it, before she replied.

"Thanks, but I don't think it's an incredibly serious infestation, and will likely clear up once I return home."

Luna nodded in understanding, before she picked up a vial and turned it around in her hands.

"You're Xenophilius's daughter? You have his nose."

"Mhm. Daddy says I have Mother's eyes and hair. That's why it's hard for him to look at me sometimes."

"Yeah, you do. I only had the privlege of meeting Pandora once, but you exude the same carefree air she was known for. She made me feel welcome and loved."

Luna's eyes pricked with unexpected tears at Crystal's words.

"Thank you," she said quietly. "I should go. But I wanted to give you this, since you looked like you need it."

She handed something to Crystal and wrapped her fingers around it momentarily before she skipped back to her father.

Crystal watched her for a moment before opening her hand. Inside was a small chain of paperclips, clearly intended to be worn as a bracelet. Blinking back the sudden onslaught of tears, Crystal ducked into an alleyway before Disapparating back to her flat.


	80. Chapter 80

**Chapter 80**

Silver knocked on Sirius and Remus' door, wrapped gift in hand. After a few seconds, she heard a muffled string of curses and a couple bangs before the door was opened by a tired Remus.

"Don't tell me you've just woken up? It's past noon," Silver chided as she followed him back through the apartment. They had to navigate around a few boxes and general clutter before they made it into the kitchen.

"This is my natural state these days, Silver. I've been working double shifts at the library in preparation for the upcoming moon. My boss is actually all right with me spending a couple nights off during the week, as long as I make up the work."

"That's wonderful. Being surrounded by books would be an added benefit, huh?"

"It sure doesn't hurt. Who's the present for?"

He began prepping a kettle of tea, pulling out a tin of gingernuts and placing them on the table.

"Housewarming present for you two. It's slightly more difficult to get things when Hogsmeade is closed off to Hogwarts students on account of a magical wizarding tournament."

She placed the present on the counter and took a seat at the table. Remus busied himself with trying to scrounge up lunch. After a few moments, he noticed Silver was staring at the wall, eyes far away. When he returned to the table after pouring the tea, he gently placed his hand on her arm. He frowned when there was no reaction whatsoever, and looked more closly at her face.

Silver's eyes were slightly hazy as they twitched slightly at things unseen. Her body was completely rigid, and anything Remus did went unnoticed by her. Remus began to panic slightly, since he had never seen Silver or Crystal exhibit this behavior. He descreetly fetched Harry in hopes that the teen would know what to do. After a moment of hesitation, Harry pulled Silver's sketchbook out of her bag along with a pencil and gently lifted her hand to place them both underneath it. When nothing happened aside from a small twitch, he took a deep breath and touched her face. He breathed a slight sigh of relief when nothing changed, though it quickly turned into concern.

Several long moments passed as both boys watched her in tense silence. Silver slowly came into herself as the minutes ticked by. Gradually, she began sketching, with the only sound the scratch of the pencil on the page. Neither Harry nor Remus dared make another sound out of fear of disturbing whatever trance had overtaken her. Unlike last time Harry saw her like this, though, Silver seemed to be taking her time in the vision, which made him think that it wasn't dire.

Finally, everything stopped. Silver's eyes returned to their normal color, her posture relaxed, and the pencil in her hand dropped to the table. Without a word, she reached for the cup of tea Remus had prepared for her and took a sip, not noticing that both boys were staring at her in anticipation.

"You all right, Silver?" She jumped, nearly spilling her tea, before her eyes found her friend's. Confusion laced her face for a moment, before it cleared as quickly as it came.

"Of course, Harry. I didn't hear you come in, so I apologize for not greeting you." She took a sip of the tea before gently placing the cup back on the table.

"You're acting a bit peculiar, though. What happened?" Remus asked, concern lacing his voice.

"I don't know what you mean. I haven't been here long, Remus, so nothing's happened as far as I know."

"You were in a trance for a good ten minutes, Silver." Harry was looking at her incredulously as he said this.

"Was I? Huh, that's strange."

Both gentlemen exchanged confused glances as she took another sip of tea, completely unperturbed.

Suddenly, there was a loud obnoxious beeping emanating from Silver's bag. She ignored it, seemingly unable to hear it. Harry, with one hand clamped over his ears, pulled out the prototype of the color-changing detector. It was flashing a bright vibrant blue and beeping madly. He looked at in horror as Remus began trying to cease the noise without undoing whateve other spellwork was on it.

"What is this?" Remus yelled. After a moment, he put a containment spell around it, which muffled it but didn't stop it completely. The blue kept flashing merrily, as Harry placed it onto the table. There was still no response from Silver, which in and of itself was odd as she was the one who created the thing.

"It detects different kinds of Dark Magic," Harry replied. "If I remember right, blue means someone's Imperiused."

Remus's eyebrows shot to his hairline before he glanced furtively at Silver, who was still calmly sipping her tea as if nothing were amiss.

"Silver?"

"Yeah, Remus?"

"Have you been practining your Occulmency?"

"A bit, why?"

"Are you using it now?"

"There's no need for it. I'm safe with you, so why would I need to?"

"Well, you're acting a bit odd."

"Excuse me if I'm not perfect all the time, Remus. I lost one of my friends not even two weeks ago, of course I'm acting odd. I'm going to leave now. Have a good day."

In a couple moments, Silver was up and out of the apartment before either guy could blink.

"Um, that was incredibly odd. Oh, she left her sketchbook," Harry commented.

The page had been left open, and Harry's blood ran cold when he saw what was drawn. The face of Voldemort was staring back at him, eyes cold and calculating. He was seated in a loveseat next to a fireplace, where another man was kneeled in front of him. Jasper Sullivan was looking up at his Master, seeking approval as his metal hand reached towards him reverently.

"What is it?" Remus asked.

"I think I figured out where Silver disappeared to after the funeral."

"Who's that man with Voldemort?"

"Jasper. Silver's father. If she went to visit him and Voldemort showed up, it'd explain why she was acting the way she was just now. He could have Imperiused her before she came over."

"Then why was she in the trance for that long? Did you think that was one of her visions?"

"I don't know, Remus. Is there any way to reverse an Imperius curse cast on someone else? Because I'm fairly certain that she's under one."

"There are ways to do it. I'll look into them. Any idea why she was in a trance for that long?"

"Well, last time I saw her like that, she was having an incredibly intense vision. Normally, she gets them at night in her dreams but she told me sometimes when they happen during the day they're even more draining and she needs an anchor. It's so confusing because Silver's the only one who knows how these visons work, and I want to help but I don't know how."

He munched on a biscuit as the two sat in silence. Remus eyed the teen critically before he spoke.

"You're really worried about her, aren't you?"

"Of course I am. She's one of my best friends, and after Cedric-" He broke off to swallow thickly. "What happened to Cedric, I thought she'd understand it the best. She always does. But now I don't know what to do, Remus."

Harry buried his head into his arms, trying to seek comfort from himself. Remus carefully placed an arm around him and pulled him close. Harry breathed in his scent as he used it to find whatever strength he could.


	81. Chapter 81

**Chapter 81**

Crystal didn't look up when she heard the whoosh of the fireplace, wordlessly pouring a cup of tea and placing biscuits on the tray without her eyes leaving her work. Her visitor huffed out a weary sigh as he settled into the chair, munching on a biscuit.

"I shouldn't be surprised that you knew I was coming," Remus commented. Crystal made a grunt of acknowledgement, before finishing the paragraph and looking up at her friend.

"Well, when you've lived through your life a couple times, it becomes a bit easier to predict things. However, I truthfully am not sure why you're here, only that you'd come." She crossed the room and prepared her tea, carefully stirring the sugar and cream into it. Remus watched her for a moment suspiciously, before his eyes lit up with confusion.

"I left Harry in Sirius' care before coming over. Silver left us an hour prior, after acting supremely odd. She seemed to have been hit by an intense vision, according to Harry, before this blasted device started screeching at us." He pulled out the detector, handing it to Crystal.

"Merlin, I had actually forgotten about this thing. The twins thought it wouldn't be a good marketing standpoint for their shop, so it ended up in the bottom of my trunk. You said it went off while Silver was there?"

"Yes. It was flashing blue in merriment as it beeped. I couldn't get the beeping to stop entirely so I placed a containment spell around it. You don't remember that happening?"

Crystal turned the device over in her hands a few times, before she cancelled the containment spell around it. She moved her hands around it a couple times, muttering quietly until she realized that Remus had asked her a question.

"Sorry, I got lost in thought. Seems to be a habit lately. No, I don't remember that." Her eyes scrunched in confusion as she thought. Remus saw her seemingly struggle with herself, until it cleared enough for her to speak.

"I don't remember what happened clearly for a couple weeks after Cedric's death, honestly. I think I chalked it up to grief and moved on with my life. I remember a week before Harry's birthday, he got in a spot of trouble and I wasn't there to help. The guilt from that ate at me for weeks."

"What kind of trouble?"

"The legal kind, unfortunately. Someone at the Ministry's going to make Hogwarts hell this year, but I need it to happen because it helps Harry's loyalty to Dumbledore grow."

"Okay. So you're telling me you don't remember this period of time when you were Silver?"

"Correct. It's been a long time since I was Silver, so things are bound to be a bit murky sometimes. I swear, if I hadn't kept a journal I wouldn't remember half of the things I did."

"You have a journal?"

"Yeah. Both a written and a drawn one. It's amazing how many sketchbooks I got through in those days. I still do my fair share of drawing, but once I became Crystal I had to stop, for the most part."

"Why? If it brings you so much joy to draw, why would you stop? You know we would have accepted it either way."

"Maybe. I established who I would be based on my research and the few bits of information I got from you guys. In return, I became sort of a mesh of who I was as Silver and who I've become as Crystal. It's a bit much to wrap your head around, if I'm honest."

The two drank their tea in near silence, with only the record Crystal had on playing in the background.

"Beatles? Really?"

"I was feeling nostalgic, plus it helps me think."

"Well, surely Bach or Mozart would be better for that. You always have liked classical more than any other teenager I'd ever met."

"A byproduct of growing up with two Squibs with a penchant for listening to it while they knit," Crystal chuckled.

"Who'd you live with while at Hogwarts with us? You were always incredibly mysterious about that, and it's always bothered me."

"Arabella and her husband. Her husband wasn't really aware there was a witch in the house, so she had requested I keep magical things to a minimum when around him. With you lot around, that would have been substantially harder."

"You knew her husband? I always thought she was widowed early into her marriage."

"Oh, no, they got a good ten years together before he passed. Hardworking man, he was, and I was gutted when he died. Arabella was even more so. The only thing that made her happy after several months of grieving was when I presented her with a kitten, whom she named Mr. Tibbers. I believe she still has him, if I recall correctly."

"You're the reason she began her descent into a cat lady, huh? I met her during the first War, albeit briefly. She seemed nice enough, if a bit obsessed with her cat. Had to have mentioned him at least three times in our brief encounter."

"That sounds like her. I've thought about popping in to say hello, but I don't want to risk her being unable to keep my presence a secret. She's a good, solid source of strength and gossip and I'd fear a bit that word would get back to Margie, and in turn to Silver. And I don't remember hearing much about Crystal being present..." She trailed off as her mind raced for a few moments. Remus could see the gears working in her brain and left her be, his own thoughts trailing to the events of the past couple days.

"Anything else on your mind, Remus? Sorry I couldn't help much with Silver's mysterious behavior, but I don't recall that time period."

"Well, she had drawn this before she left. Harry said he'd only seen her like this once before, when she had an incredibly intense vision and needed a tether." He handed Crystal the drawing, where she froze as she took in the image. She stared at it for a moment, before Remus saw a shift in her posture and her eyes clouded over. Horror seeped into his bones as he watched her slip into the same trance-like state Silver was in an hour prior. However, unlike Silver, Crystal came out of it much quicker.

"Well, that's a bit of information that would have been useful."

"What is?"

"Silver has met Voldemort. I suspect either he or Jasper has her under the Imperius Curse."

"I thought you could only see the future? That sounds like the past, based on what Harry and I had already suspected."

"Yes, and she meets him again in the future, where she sees this image. I recognized Jasper's drawing room. The vision was fleeting, but they're using her for their own purposes, perhaps until they erase her memories. Jasper's known for his Charms work most of all, so it's likely that's the plan."

Remus nodded somberly, before they were interrupted by a tap on the window from an owl. Crystal opened the window, where the owl flew in and settled onto the perch she had set up. It took a sip of water and ate a treat before giving a grateful hoot. Crystal crossed to her desk, where she opened the letter and began reading. Her face lit up as she finished, before she gave an excited squeal. Remus watched her with a gentle smile on his face.

"Good news, I take it?"

"Oh, the best. I'll be working at the Ministry if all goes to plan. I was called into an interview in the Department of Mysteries for Monday."

"Department of Mysteries? Isn't that where-" He cut off, realizing he'd almost spoken too much.

"The prophecy is? Yeah, it is, though I'm hoping to be a part of a different segment of it. Which reminds me, I need to meet with Dumbledore soon. I'm fairly certain he still is unaware of my return, and if I'm to be useful to the Order, we can't have that."

"You're going to join the Order? Isn't that a bit risky?"

"Maybe a bit, though if it's planned properly only a few people will know about it."

"All right, then. I should probably get going if I want to go shopping before dinner."

Remus hugged Crystal goodbye, where she held onto him for an extra moment, before Floo'ing home.


	82. Chapter 82

**Chapter 82**

Crystal took a deep breath before taking some Floo dust out of the stand next to her mantle. Her trusty bag was on her hip as she stepped into the green flames, carefully counting the grates until she arrived at her destination. As she dusted off her robes, she heard a soft crooning coming from the perch nearby, and spotted Fawkes the Phoenix looking at her curiously. She took a couple steps forward and began to gently stroke his feathers with a smile, before casting her eyes outwards towards the rest of the office. The Headmaster was nowhere to be seen, though she saw his whimsical devices moving on the table near the door.

"You're gorgeous, Fawkes. It's clear Professor Dumbledore takes care of you. May you lend us strength in the upcoming months."

Fawkes blinked beadily at her, trilling happily as she stroke him, before she stepped away from him and sat in the chair before Dumbledore's desk. After a couple minutes, one of the side doors opened with a click and Professor Dumbledore glided out. Though his entrances weren't as dramatic as Professor Snape's, there was still a presence in them that caught her attention.

"Hello, sir. How are you doing, today?"

"Quite well, I should think. I've been graced by the past today, which is always a cause for celebration."

"I'm hardly a part of your past, sir, even if you're a part of mine. You look good. I like the robes."

She smiled at his blue robes flecked with stars. Atop his head was a matching hat. Crystal rose to shake his hand, which he took with a smile.

"Thank you. I've been told they bring out my eyes." His eyes twinkled in merriment, and Crystal's breath caught at the unexpected tightness in her chest.

"That they do, sir."

"Lemon drop?" He offered the bowl, and Crystal took a couple of the candies, popping one into her mouth.

"I've heard you're recruiting again for the Order?"

"Right to business, then? The young are much less likely to engage in a good old fashioned conversation."

"Sorry, sir. I've never liked small talk."

"It's quite all right, Crystal. I understand. Yes, I have been recruiting. I suppose you had heard from Sirius or Remus?"

"Correct, though I had suspected you would after Voldemort's return. You're not one to sit idle when things need doing."

She sucked on her candy as he strode across the room, fiddling with one of the instruments on the table. Crystal also watched the smoke puff out of the instrument in concentration before she nodded slightly.

"What do you want to do for the Order? I have an idea of where I'd like you to be, but it has been so long since you've been around, I'm not sure if your talents have shifted."

Crystal held his gaze steadily as he leaned against the table. She felt him trying to penetrate her mind, and she raised an eyebrow in challenge.

"Ah, yes. Your Occulmency is as strong as ever. I never did figure out how you learned that as a child."

"I had a good teacher. Regardless, I would like to remain in the sidelines as much as I can, perhaps feeding information to you as needed." She hesitated for a moment, before adding, "I'd also like to help with the Horcrux hunt."

There was a shatter as the instruments around him broke, causing Crystal to jump slightly. With sure hands, she repaired them all with a wave of her wand as she caught Dumbledore's eyes. They were tinged with a flicker of suspicion and fear before they cleared. There was silence between the two of them as he regarded her.

"How did you know?" His voice was resigned.

"I figured it out. I had heard about the Chamber being opened a couple years ago, despite being in the States. There's only been one heir of Slytherin in fifty years, and it wasn't Harry Potter. I may or may not have told you I have a certain fascination with bloodlines. I had also been entrusted with a Horcrux myself from a source I do not wish to divulge. I destroyed it a few weeks ago with some basilisk venom."

"I see. Do you have the remnants?"

Crystal nodded and reached into her bag, pulling out the locket fragments. Dumbledore took it from her and examined it thoughtfully, fingers tracing over the "S" engraved.

"Slytherin's locket, then. Hmm."

He crossed back to his desk before sitting heavily.

"If we're to work together on this, sir, we'll need to communicate frequently. I won't stand for hiding in shadows in this manner. If there's information you're confident you can get on your own, then I ask for you to inform me so we're not both working on the same thing. Unlike my friends, I will not follow you blindly."

"You think they are blind?"

"I think they are hopelessly loyal to you and your decisions. You are incredibly skilled and have a lot of wisdom, but you are still a man. I respect you, as I always have, but I may question things as I am wont to do."

He was quiet for a few moments, lost in thought. His fingers continued to trace the fragments of the locket as Crystal watched him.

"What of your visions? Will you provide me those?"

She stared at him in silence, trying to read his inscrutable face.

"What do you know of them?"

"Not much, I'm afraid. I had been informed that you have an intuition of sorts when it comes to your friends, and that you are rarely wrong. I suspected either precognition or visions of the future. I took a guess at which one you had."

"And if it is precognition?"

"Then you would be doing us both a disservice by lying to me. I have a certain instinct about these things."

Crystal swallowed thickly, keeping her eyes trained towards the Headmaster as she thought.

"My visions are few and far between these days. And I will never be used as a paltry medium, calling upon them at will."

"Are you able to do that?" His eyes twinkled with curiosity.

"If I have a trigger. Regardless, I will not provide that service to you. I'm sorry."

"It was a lot to ask of you. There is another whom I believe has the same magic as you do, in that regard. Your niece."

"Ah, Silver Sullivan. Remus had asked for advice on her behalf, actually. Until the girl gets a strict handle on her Occulmency, she won't have any measure of control over the visions."

"Are you able to teach others?"

"Occulmency? Yes, I can teach it. I'm the one who taught Severus, after all. Several parents also asked me to teach their children while I was in the States. I can only teach one at a time, though, and I do not believe Silver will need any further assistance."

"It is not Silver that I was thinking of."

"Oh. Is it one of your students?"

"Yes. I have been considering asking Severus, but I think his dislike of the boy will get in the way."

"If you wish for me to teach them, we can discuss pricing and hours. I will be starting my new job tomorrow, so we'll have to arrange the times accordingly."

"Of course. I will be in touch if things pan out properly."

Crystal popped another lemon drop into her mouth, sucking carefully as she watched Dumbledore think some more. She wandered over to his bookshelves, drinking in the different titles before one caught her eye. How to Succeed in Magic Without Even Trying.

"There's a muggle version of this. I wasn't aware you had parody on your shelves, sir."

"Please, Crystal. You may call me Albus if you wish. No need for the formalities. And that was actually Argus's before he left it in my office one day."

"Hm, well that fits what I know about him. Is he still as grumpy as ever?"

"Yes. Hogwarts is his home, though, and he does a good job."

"I'm not doubting that. Would I be able to visit him before I leave the school today? I'd probably scare him, though, if the reactions I've been getting to my return are any indication."

"No need. I have a feeling he'll be here shortly."

Sure enough, a minute later the door banged open as Mr. Filch wheezed through the door. Mrs. Norris was hot on his heels before she wove her way around Crystal's ankles.

"Professor Dumbledore! Profeesor Hagrid-" He cut off when he saw that Dumbledore wasn't alone.

"Hello, Mr. Filch," Crystal said, bending down to pet Mrs. Norris. She began purring almost immediately, bumping her head against Crystal's hand.

"You look familiar, but I don't know you, girlie."

"I'm far from a 'girlie,' Mr. Filch. Crystal Selwyn. I used to visit you when I was still a student."

"Right. The one with the fascination of my projects."

"Well, when you work in restoring paintings meticulously, as an artist I'm bound to be fascinated."

"You never called yourself an artist," he grumbled.

"No, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate the work you do. Were you able to find a new frame for Sir Cadogan?"

"Long ago, yes. You've been gone a while."

"That I have. Did you get the Christmas cards I sent, though? I never got a response, so I was never sure you received them."

"I did. Laying around my office somewhere, I bet."

"Oh. All right." Crystal turned back to Dumbledore. "Is there anything else we need to discuss, Albus?"

"No, I think we have covered the important parts. I will be in touch."

"Right, I have one more thing for you." She pulled a book out of her bag. There was a large golden phoenix emblazoned on the cover with the Hogwarts motto underneath.

"If you need to get ahold of me and owl won't cut it, there are instructions on the inside cover of that. Burn them when you're done. Lovely to see you again, Mr. Filch." She gave one last scratch to Mrs. Norris' neck before she strode over to the fireplace and Floo'd away.


	83. Chapter 83

**Chapter 83**

"Silver, what are your plans today?" Margie asked from the kitchen. Silver was sitting in the living room reading a book.

"Meeting with a friend. I should be back by dinner, though I'll try to ring if I'm not."

"Oh. I thought we could visit Arabella. It's been awhile since you've seen her, and I know she'd like to catch up with you."

"No thanks. I'm going to get ready." Silver stood up and left the room without so much of a glance. Margie looked after her in befuddlement, spatula and oven mitt poised in her hands. After Silver left without saying goodbye, she went over to the phone and dialed Sirius' number. When she didn't get a response, she gathered her things and walked to Arabella's.

Knocking on the door, Arabella's voice sounded from within before it opened a crack. Upon seeing her friend, she opened the door and hastily let Margie in.

"Lovely to see you, Margie. Don't mind the cats, they've been getting themselves in trouble whenever they can."

"Who's there, Figgy?" A short balding man came into view, glass of iced tea in one hand, biscuit in another.

"My friend Margie. Margie, this is Mundungus Fletcher. Someone else will be round in a few moments, I reckon."

"She safe?" Mundungus asked.

"Not a muggle, if that's what you're asking. Get your feet off of my coffee table. Just because you're a ruffian doesn't mean I have to tolerate it in my house."

Margie settled on one of the incredibly plush chairs near the fireplace, eyes curiously darting between the two as she pulled out her knitting.

"But Dumbledore said-"

"I don't care what Dumbledore said. Margie is safe, and not nearly as oblivious to your world as he thinks."

Whatever Mundungus was going to say was cut off when the fireplace suddenly roared to life, spitting green flames as Dumbledore calmly stepped out of the grate, followed by Alastor Moody. Moody's magical eye spotted Margie first, swiveling in its socket. His wand was on her in an instant, having never met her before.

"Put that thing away before you hurt someone, Alastor. Margie, this is Professor Dumbledore and Auror Alastor Moody."

"Ah, Silver's guardian. It's a pleasure to meet you at last."

"Can't say the same about you, mister. Silver's not overly fond of how you handle things. But, you're her Headmaster so you must be doing something right."

She shook his hand firmly before settling herself down once more in the chair. She critically appraised Moody, before giving a curt nod.

"Why do we have an infestation?" Moody growled unkindly.

"I'm hardly an infestation. I wanted to check in with Arabella with our weekly chat, and all of you are intruding." Margie's knitting needles began clicking loudly as Moody regarded her.

"Margie's as good as anyone when it comes to information, and she's got a different set of the neighborhood to gawk at," Arabella added.

"Then let's start the meeting. Ideally, we'd need somewhere else to set up. Sirius offered Grimmauld Place, but since he recently sold it to someone, I'll have to check with them before we can use it."

"He sold it? To whom?" Mundungus asked, greedy eyes filling with hope.

"That's between them. It was a quiet affair, from what I understand. Any news on the streets, Mundungus?"

Dumbledore settled into a squashy couch, accepting a glass of tea from Arabella. Moody preferred standing in the corner, declining the offer of a drink before taking a swig from his flask.

"Been pretty quiet, actually. There's a Ministry broad that's been sniffing around a bit in Knockturn Alley, trying to catch illicit sales. Not that'll do her any good."

"How'd you know she's Ministry?" Margie asked curiously.

"Has a certain air about them, see? Like they're better than us."

"Any interesting items or information that's cropped up?"

"Naw, nothing worth mentioning for You-Know-Who. I did see the blond-haired girlie with Jasper Sullivan, though."

"When was this?" Dumbledore asked.

"Couple days ago, I think. They were all buddy-buddy, so didn't think much of it til now."

"Who is she?" Margie asked.

"That'd be Silver Sullivan, based on how this vermin talks," Moody growled.

"Silver in Knockturn Alley. Oh, dear," Margie's needles had stopped clicking as her mind caught up.

"Does that mean something to you, Margie?" Arabella asked kindly.

"She's been acting odd since she returned from Hogwarts. I thought it would be because of that Diggory boy's death. I never thought she'd go so far as to try to reunite with her father though. They haven't talked since she was a child, from what she told me."

"Was she acting strange today?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes. I asked what her plans were for the day, and she was going to meet with a friend. But she was incredibly abrupt about it, not like she used to be."

"Imperiused, most likely," Moody commented.

"You really think so? She could be lashing out. Teenagers do that, I've heard."

"That drastic of a change isn't normal, if she's associating with Dark wizards," Dumbledore replied.

"What should we do?"

"For the moment, there isn't much we can do except keep an eye out. Mundungus, I ask that you follow her when you can, see where she goes."

"Aye, aye, Professor Dumbledore," Mundungus Apparated with a crack, stunning the room's occupants.

Dumbledore sighed wearily, looking where the man had been moments earlier with a shake of his head.

"As ever, he leaves before hearing the rest of the meeting."

"You expect more from a lying thief?" Moody questioned.

Dumbledore didn't respond, instead finding one of Mrs. Figg's cats and petting it absently.

"Have you seen anything else strange, Margie?"

"Can't say that I have. There haven't been any visitors as of late, since Silver's been leaving when she wants to see someone. She's always been an independent spirit. Oh, her business is beginning to take root nicely."

"Business?" Moody asked.

"Yes, she started a greeting card and art business this year. Mostly for Hogwarts students, but she's gotten a few mail orders from others."

"Nothing interesting, then."

"All right. We should re-convene once we get the new location, with the full Order. Margie, anything we've discussed must remain secret."

"Of course, Albus. Let me know if I can help with anything."

The men left shortly afterwards, leaving Margie and Arabella to chat and gossip as originally planned.


	84. Chapter 84

**Chapter 84**

"Anything else I can get you, sweetie?" Jasper asked Silver as the shopkeeper rang up the purchase. They were in a potions shop in Knockturn Alley, where they were getting supplies at the request of Voldemort.

"No, Dad, I think we have everything. Hopefully Professor Snape will like my present."

As the two left the shop and walked down the alley, he kept pointing out things and sharing their uses. The other patrons of Knockturn Alley eyed them suspiciously, since open speaking about things was usually a way to get captured by the Ministry.

"Silver? What the hell are you doing here?" The voice of Draco Malfoy came from Borgin and Burkes, where he was accompanied by his father.

"I could ask you the same thing, Draco. Dad requested my presence as we shopped."

The two elder men eyed each other critically, before coolly greeting each other.

"Come on, Dad. There's some things I need from Diagon Alley, too. Would you like to join us, Draco?"

Draco's eyes went to his father's in question. At his curt nod, Draco stepped forward and began walking towards Diagon Alley with Silver at his side. The two men trailed behind them, conversing quietly.

"I didn't know you were on speaking terms with your father," Draco commented.

"Yeah, it's a recent development. How's your summer been so far? I know it's only been a week, but we haven't seen each other much lately."

"It's been rather uneventful. I did meet one of Mother's old classmates a few days ago."

"Really? Who?"

"Crystal Selwyn. The resemblance between you and her is uncanny, though Mother says you look more like your mother."

"Ah. Is she nice?"

"Out of all the things you could ask me, you ask if she's nice?" Draco scoffed in disbelief.

"It's the only thing I could think of."

The two continued chatting, not realizing that they were approaching the Leaky Cauldron until they passed the clearing before it.

"Hey, where are our fathers?" Silver asked, turning around.

"Not sure. Father had wanted to get a new clasp for his robe. Maybe the two of them wanted to catch up or something."

"Maybe. Want to get ice cream while we wait? My treat."

Draco looked back down the alley before giving a small smile and leading the way into the shop.

"So where did you go after Diggory's funeral? You disappeared," Draco asked, once they sat down with their ice creams of choice. Silver froze, her eyes becoming far away. Draco watched in confusion as she appeared to war with herself until she replied.

"I made up with Father and he allowed me to stay with him until I had to return to Margie's."

She seemed to want to share more, but whenever she opened her mouth to add something, she got a look of confusion before slightly shaking her head. Draco watched her with some concern as he ate his ice cream.

"How are you holding up? I know you and Diggory were friends."

"All right, I suppose. Father's been most helpful in keeping me busy, so it makes the days easier."

"Oh? What sort of things are you doing?"

Again, Silver's eyes were confused as she thought of her answer.

"Shopping, making potions, research projects. That sort of thing. I guess I'm like an assistant of sorts? Father has a guest that I'm supposed to help in any way I can, so I've been doing that."

"A guest? What kind of guest?"

"Not something you should ask." Her voice suddenly got hard, as her eyes narrowed.

"All right, then. Sorry I asked." He led the way back out to Diagon Alley, where he spotted their fathers outside of the accessories shop, quietly conversing.

Silver noticed a bald-haired man lurking in one of the side alleys, trying to watch them discreetly while trying to convince someone to buy his wares. Shaking her head, she grabbed Draco's hand and tugged him towards their fathers, letting go once she was in their view.

Shortly after, the two families went their separate ways.


	85. Chapter 85

**Chapter 85**

Crystal Apparated onto the steps of Grimmauld Place, quickly unlocking the door and stepping in. She closed her umbrella on the stoop before closing the door. Placing the umbrella into the troll-foot stand in the entryway, she made her way into the house.

She quietly checked each room, casting minor cleaning spells throughout them until she came upon Sirius' old bedroom. Opening the door gently, she looked around at the muggle pictures of scantily clad women on the walls and the pictures of motorcycles with a smile upon her face. After a few moments examining the room, she closed the door behind her as she turned to the next door in the hallway. Regulus' name was adorned on the door with a simple gold nameplate. Shaking her head, she decided not to intrude until it was necessary. As she swept through one of the downstairs drawing rooms, she found Kreacher huddling in the corner, meticulously dusting a picture frame.

"Hello, Kreacher."

"Miss Crystal." His voice was creaky as usual, though he swept into a respectful bow when he turned towards her.

"I have successfully bought this house from Sirius. You may still call me Crystal if you wish. However, you are not to call anyone by derogatory terms in this house. And you are not to leave the premises without express permission from myself. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Master Crystal."

"Good. Now, I have authorized the use of this house as a headquarters. Anything you hear or see is to remain confidential to everyone except me, Silver, Harry, and Remus. And you are to only divulge that information if you are directly asked by one of us."

Kreacher's bow was almost mocking in return, though he dutifully nodded.

"Once a week you are to procure food for the kitchen. I will leave a sum of money for you to use, and instructions for whomever will be using the kitchen to leave a list of things as they run out. Silver has taught you money handling, yes?"

At his reluctant nod, she gave a small smile before continuing, "Excellent. You may write me or visit me in my flat if the amount of money gets low, though I ask you to only come when I am alone, as not many are aware of my ownership of this house. Do you have any questions?"

He stared at her for a long time, trying to figure out if she were truly asking. Realizing that she must be like Silver in that regard, he thought seriously for a moment.

"What else is Kreacher responsible for?"

"I will need you to make the beds nicely when the occupants leave their rooms, and change them as needed. There will likely be a woman named Mrs. Weasley who will probably trying to do that as well. I will leave instructions for her to allow you to do your job. You may be older than a typical house-elf, Kreacher, but I expect you to maintain the dignity of keeping the house clean and homely. I see that Silver has made some groundway in terms of making this place more inviting, and I ask you to please keep it that way. If she asks you to do something, defer to her instructions as you have in the past, though not until she is staying here for the rest of the summer. I expect you to keep yourself clean, and will be sending over a new uniform for you to wear. I am not presenting you with clothes as removal of your service, but as renewal of your current one. I checked the elves by-laws, and this is considered an uncommon yet acceptable thing to do when someone new becomes in...possession...of a new house-elf. If you have a true objection to the new outfit, then I ask for you to wash your current pillowcase regularly."

Kreacher's expression had shifted to one of horror while she was speaking, until he heard the rest of it. After a few moments of processing her words, he bowed deeply in acknowledgement. Crystal prompted him for any further questions, of which he had none.

"Oh, I have one more thing for you." She pulled out a locket, handing it to him.

"You are not to let anyone see this under any circumstances. Put a cloaking spell on it if you must. This belonged to Regulus, and was my vessel back in time. It is yours to keep, as I know you were one of his friends. I do not need it any longer, as I have already checked it for any residual magic"

Kreacher's eyes lit up as he felt the locket in between his fingers before he swiftly hugged Crystal around the legs. He immediately let go, muttering about impropriety.

"Oh, one last thing. You're welcome to come around for tea if you get lonely while I'm home. I'd love to hear some stories about Regulus, if you have them. I didn't get to know him well while I was at Hogwarts."

Kreacher nodded, before placing the locket around his neck and cloaking it with a snap of his fingers. He gave her a fleeting smile as he meandered from the room. Crystal moved to the room with the family tree on it and began her work. After several hours, she finally managed to move the entire tree into an expandable book. With a tap of the wand or hand, the page would expand to show the full branch of the tree. She was unable to restore Sirius' burnt picture from the tree, however, she reasoned that he would have preferred it that way. Looking at the blank white walls curiously, Crystal summoned an intricate book stand and levitated both it and the book behind her as she climbed the stairs to the uppermost floor before the attic. She saw that the walls in this room were adorned with family portraits, who grumbled awake as she passed. There was a blank space where Walburga was supposed to be, and there was no portrait for any of the remaining Black men. The floor was coated in a thick layer of dust, and the window at the end of the hall was completely covered with grime. She trudged through the hall, coughing slightly as she inhaled a plume of dust. Flicking her wand, she began a cleaning spell to make the air more breathable.

"What's that? Who's there?" An old man wheezed from his frame. The name under the portrait read 'Articus Black' and his lifespan.

"The new owner of this house, Mr. Black. Crystal Selwyn is my name."

"New owner? But Grimmauld Place is only transferable to other Blacks, either by marriage or blood. Are you telling me that good-for-nothing blood-traitor managed to get a wife?"

"No," Crystal chuckled as she strolled down the hall. "Sirius sold it to me, at my request. It took a couple months to get the legalities of it squared away, but it and the magical wards were officially transferred to me yesterday."

"What's that?" Another portrait asked, indicating the book and pedestal.

"This is your family tree. I managed to get everything, spellwork and all, into this book. This is where it will reside forevermore." Crystal placed the book upon the intricate pedestal at the end of the floor, close to the trapdoor leading up to the attic. She summoned a couple of never-end candles and placed them on stands next to it. After a few waves of her wand, they were spelled to light whenever someone drew near them. Taking a look around the room, she did the same to lanterns she summoned and placed around the portraits. When lit, they'd cast the large room in a warm glow.

"What's to prevent it from being burned?" A critical aunt asked.

"I told you, I have all of the spells from the tapestry onto this book, so it will repel pretty much anything that's thrown at it. It's impossible to rip, tear, or fade with age. I've put some anti-theft measures into it."

"And why have you removed the family tree from the downstairs drawing room? That's where it has been since this house was constructed," Articus asked.

"Because change isn't a bad thing. I want to preserve and respect your history without making it glaringly obvious to anyone who visits the house. Kreacher?"

The house-elf popped to her side instantly, bowing low to her in greeting.

"Please include this room in your cleaning route. I'm not sure why it's been neglected for so long, but it needs to be hospitable."

"No house-elf has been allowed into this room since Master Orion passed, Master Crystal." Kreacher's voice was thick with emotion as he looked around the space cautiously.

"Really? Why?"

"Because house-elves aren't worthy of our legacy," Articus grumbled from his frame.

"And yet they continue to faithfully serve your family, if the beheaded elves in the foyer is any indication," Crystal commented.

Articus scoffed indignantly before puffing out his chest.

"Well of course they would, they have no choice. And Blacks are superior to any other family line."

"Kreacher, I give you permission to clean this room once a week. You are not to converse with any of the portraits unless it's about cleaning or obtaining information on my behalf. Understood?"

At his nod, she dismissed him before she left the room, with the portraits grumbling behind her. She entered a bedroom where a shadowed portrait was hung.

"Hello. You're Phineus Black, correct?"

"Yes. You must be Crystal Selwyn. Headmaster Dumbledore mentioned that you were the new owner of Grimmauld Place. Can't say I'm happy that it's gone to someone outside of the Black family. How can I help you?"

"Could you please inform the Headmaster that Grimmauld Place can be used for Order operations beginning tomorrow? I have a few more things to take care of here before I leave, but he asked me to inform him when it was ready."

"Of course, Miss Selwyn."

"Thank you. I appreciate it immensely. Have a good day."

"You as well." Phineus walked out the side of his frame, vanishing from sight.

Crystal walked out of the room and down to the kitchen, where Kreacher had surprised her with lunch. It was a hearty beef stew with extra carrots, which was the way she liked it. There was also a pot of tea and a loaf of fresh bread. She invited him to join her, which he respectably declined, though he did pour himself a cup of tea before leaving. As she ate, Crystal reviewed her notes on her theories on how to remove Permanent Sticking charms and various other spellwork that might prove useful.

When she was done, she left the dishes on the kitchen counter and walked up to Mrs. Black's portrait. She began the arduous task of removing her from the wall, making sure to put a featherweight charm on the frame before she began so that it wouldn't fall to the floor. It took her nearly two hours, and Mrs. Black woke up midway through and began berating Crystal for pretty much any foul thing she could think of. Crystal ignored it in favor of concentrating on her spell work, and grinned triumphantly when the portrait was finally freed from the wall. Her success rendered Mrs. Black speechless for a few moments, before the curses began anew as Crystal brought her up to the portraits gallery. The other portraits groaned when they heard her incessant yelling, but she stopped as soon as she was hung in her designated spot on the wall.

"I forgot this was here," she confessed.

"Seems like everyone has, if the thick layer of dust that was on everything earlier was any indication. Now you can converse about blood prejudice and your family pride with those who would understand." Crystal swept out of the room before she got a reply, though she heard conversation starting before she closed the door, Walburga's shrill voice arguing with Articus' low tones.

When she returned to the spot where Walburga had hung, it seemed incredibly vacant. Summoning her bag, she pulled out a painting and expanded it to the full size. Once hung, she stepped back and admired her work. The painting was on dark blue canvas, and featured an intricate collection of plants in deep reds, purples, and greens. There were thorned white tendrils entwining each bloom, highlighting them and tying the image together. It was beautifully dark, and fit the atmosphere of the house.

Humming contentedly, she returned to the kitchen and began making instructions for the future occupants, being sure to post them visibly over the sink and the kitchen door. Once that was done, she did one last sweep of the house, ensuring there were no major things to be cleaned or disenchanted. Before she left the house, she transfigured the troll-foot umbrella stand into a hanging one and placed it on the wall next to the door, before changing her mind at the memories of Tonks loudly knocking it over whenever she'd visit. Checking the wards of the house one last time, she opened the door and Apparated off the step back to her apartment.


	86. Chapter 86

**Chapter 86**

It was one of the hottest days of the year, in the midst of a drought. The neighborhood was a sea of brown grass and dying plants as Silver walked down the road towards Sirius and Remus' flat. Her memory of the past couple weeks was spotty except for the loneliness and never-ending headaches from crying. As she approached a park, she saw a gang of mean looking boys atop bicycles appear from down the road. The biggest of them was taunting a dark-haired boy who was sitting on a swing. As Silver drew nearer, she realized it was Dudley Dursley and his friends.

"What's the matter, Potter? Living it up with a couple of fags? Why would they keep your sorry arse around if not for pity?"

Dudley's friends laughed mockingly as Harry's grip tightened on the swings. His wand was sticking out of his back pocket.

"Shut up, Diddy-kins, or else." Harry's voice was forceful, as if he was containing his temper.

"It'd be wise not to provoke him," Silver commented. A couple of the boys whipped their heads towards her; evidently no one had heard her coming despite the crunching of the grass.

"Oh, now you need your girlfriend to defend you? Pathetic."

Silver's eyes narrowed dangerously as she took in Dudley's appearance. He had transformed from a pudgy boy into a solidly built teen. His blond hair was plastered to his head, most likely from the humidity.

"He's perfectly capable of defending himself, Dursley. I'm offering support since five on one is hardly a fair fight."

"I don't need your help," Harry bit out angrily. Silver's gaze hardened in response.

"Fine, suit yourself." Silver began walking away, but turned around when the other boys started catcalling her as they followed. Dudley had stayed behind to taunt Harry some more, causing Harry to whip out his wand threateningly. When one boy reached out to grab her arse, she twisted his fingers in the wrong direction and kicked him in the groin, flattening him in seconds. She was incredibly tempted to break his fingers at his cries of distress before she let go. The boy scrambled to his feet with difficulty as the remaining boys ran away, muttering about the missed opportunity. When Silver looked around once more, she saw Harry walking with Dudley towards Mongolia Crescent and began to follow them.

As she pursued them into the tunnel leading to the next neighborhood, sounds became muted and the lights surrounding them were half lit. The unnatural cold swept through Silver, causing her to immediately shake in trepidation as her stomach fell mightily.

"What are you doing? St-stop it!" Dudley cried, shaking in fear.

"I'm not doing this. Be quiet. Silver?" Harry noticed his friend approaching cautiously.

"Dementors..." She whispered in fear. Despite the dread coursing through her, she held her wand steady to help protect Dudley. There was a whoosh as she was swept from her feet into the arms of a Dementor. She could hear its rattling breath as it began feeding. Her vision began to fade around the edges as she heard the voices that plagued her with Dementors, as well a new cold commanding voice. Breathing harshly, she kicked out with her legs, falling to the ground when it dropped her. Summoning a memory of the Yule Ball, she attempted to cast a Patronus. A lot of mist came forth from her wand, repelling it for a moment before the spell failed. Silver was being overcome by fear, and fell to the ground gripping her head, trying to make the voices stop. A moment later, she was nearly blinded by a figure in front of her, watching as the Dementor by her screeched as it flew away, followed by the one that had been feeding off of Dudley. When the Patronus settled in front of Harry once more, she saw that it was a proud and magnificent stag. It nuzzled to Harry's hand briefly before dissipating.

Dudley was on the verge of collapse, and Silver could see that he wasn't entirely present as his eyes were far away and he was muttering up a storm. Silver and Harry both jumped when they saw an old lady approaching. Harry hastily tried to hide his wand, while Silver instead knelt in front of Dudley, trying to get him back into the present.

"Don't put that away, you foolish boy! What if they come back? Ooh, I am going to kill Mundungus Fletcher!"

"Harry, help me lift Dudley. We need to return him to his parents before we return to your place."

He immediately went to Dudley's other side, taking the majority of the weight as they shuffled along.

"Have any chocolate, Mrs. Figg?" Silver asked, panting slightly.

"Not on me, dear. Sorry. Dementors in Little Whinging! Why would they be here?"

"Hang on, what's happening? How do you two know each other?" Harry asked.

"Mrs. Figg is Margie's best friend. Squibs like to stick together when they can, since there aren't a whole lot of them. Though I'm not sure who Mundungus Fletcher is," Silver replied.

"Mundungus was supposed to be watching Harry. Since that nasty business with You-Know-Who, Dumbledore wants us to keep an eye out, but remain unseen."

"You know Dumbledore?" Harry panted. Dudley was dead weight, and even with Silver helping it was a bit much in the heat.

"Everyone knows Dumbledore," Mrs. Figg replied.

The only sound for a couple minutes was the squeak of Mrs. Figg's wheeled cart and the cans within them banging together.

"You know they won't let you leave without an explanation, right?" Silver asked. Harry glanced at her resignedly as they stood on the steps of Number 4 Privet Drive. She rang the bell; when the door opened there was a screech of horror from Petunia as she and Vernon hauled Dudley inside.

"Oh, no you don't. Explain what happened, boy." Vernon's face was turning an ugly shade of purple as he glared at Harry.

Silver went over to the sink and poured a glass of cool water for Petunia, who took it without a word and began mopping Dudley's head with a rag as Harry began explaining.

"If you have any chocolate, it'll help once he's a bit more coherent," Silver commented.

"Why are these Demi-whosits here?" Vernon asked loudly.

"Because someone wanted Harry to get in trouble after the events of last month," Silver replied, before Harry could.

"And what happened last month?"

"Lord Voldemort has returned. Our Minister doesn't believe it, so Harry's coming off like a crackpot in the papers. Whoever sent the Dementors hopes to punish him even more. We need to get back to Sirius' place."

"Wait, what do we do about Diddy-kins?" Petunia fretted.

"Bring him to the hospital, make sure he gets hydrated and fed lots of chocolate. Dementors mess with people's minds and souls, leaving behind a void. It's a really similar feeling to depression, if I recall correctly. He should be all right with some treatment and rest."

Harry began walking out the door, with Silver on his heels. As soon as they stepped outside, Sirius and Remus were standing there, concern lacing both of their expressions. Without a word, they both offered their arms to the teens. After the uncomfortable feeling of being squeezed through a tube, the four of them appeared in the Marauders' living room.

"Care to explain what happened? All we got was a letter saying you were expelled from Hogwarts, and then another couple from Dumbledore and Mr. Weasley. There's a letter for you too, Silver, though we didn't open it," Remus said.

"I've got a similar letter, though mine is seemingly only a warning. Nothing as drastic as being expelled. Though the Ministry's not able to expel anyone, since that's under the Headmasters control."

"Correct, which is why Dumbledore sent a letter immediately following the one from the Ministry. We'll get this all sorted out. Though I still don't know what happened."

"A few Dementors attacked us," Harry replied. "I managed to ward all three off before one Kissed Dudley."

"I couldn't get more than mist," Silver said quietly. "If Harry hadn't been there, I would have likely been Kissed, too."

Silver quietly left the room, returning with a gold container in her hands. She pulled out a few chocolate bars, handing a couple to Harry before offering it to the older men. As Remus eyed her curiously, she sheepishly placed the lid back onto the container.

"There's only so many places chocolate can be hidden. This is Sirius' secondary stash, for when you run out of your own," Silver explained. "I didn't know where your main one was, so I hope this is all right."

She gave a small smile, before sitting next to Harry and resting her head on his shoulder. He flinched minutely until he relaxed into the hand carding through his hair from behind. They both ate their chocolate as they talked quietly with the men.

"Wait a mo'. I need to owl Margie. Can I borrow Hedwig? And stay here tonight?" Silver asked.

"Of course you can stay if you'd like," Sirius replied. Harry explained that Hedwig was still out hunting. Luckily, Hermes chose that moment to appear at their window, mouse dangling proudly from his beak. After sending him off with a letter for Margie, Silver found herself with Harry's head on her lap. Remus and Sirius had retired to their bedroom, where she could hear them conversing quietly. When she unwittingly brushed her fingers across his scar, she saw a flash of red eyes and the graveyard from the month prior and let out a gasp.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked. His eyes were on her face, flickering with concern.

"Has your scar been bothering you?"

"Yeah. It's not too bad, honestly. I think it's because he's got a body now. It's like we're connected or something."

"You're definitely connected to him. I saw a flash of his eyes, I think, just now. Makes me wonder if I'll meet him myself or something."

Harry was quiet for a long time as she ran her hands through his hair. When he spoke, she jumped minutely.

"You probably will. With how skilled you are and who your dad is, Voldemort is bound to notice you eventually."

"Maybe. I feel like I haven't seen you in ages. How are things?"

"All right, I guess..."

"Harry."

"Honestly, I've been all right during the day. I keep dreaming of the night Cedric died, you know? Some nights I wake up screaming and Remus or Sirius has to talk with me until I calm down."

"I think I have been too, though I can't remember."

"What do you remember since term ended?"

"That's a strange question," Silver commented.

"Can you answer it, though?"

Silver thought for a few minutes, trying to figure out how to say it.

"I remember...feeling empty. There is this void in my soul where Cedric was. We weren't incredibly close, honestly, but I was able to call him my friend. Having someone as full of life as him suddenly taken away from us tears on my sanity a bit, especially since I knew it was coming. I kept hoping that it wouldn't, and my Occlumency is helping with keeping the visions out."

Silver sighed heavily as she shifted so she could lay down on the couch. Harry moved so that her legs were in his lap.

"Why were you angry at me earlier? I was only trying to help, you know."

"You've been out of sorts since the end of term. Whenever I'd try to talk to you, you'd get all stroppy with me, so when you suddenly were acting like we'd never fought it made me a bit cross. Plus, it's hotter than a frying pan out there."

"We were fighting? Strange, I don't remember that. Was it anything serious, or a tiff because of my weird behavior?"

"Nothing serious, really. I haven't seen you in over a week, though, despite us living only a few steets from each other."

"It's still pretty crazy how Sirius and Remus ended up here of all places."

"Sirius had wanted to keep an eye on me while I was still living with the Dursleys. I still can't believe Mrs. Figg never told me she was a Squib."

"She breeds half-kneazles. Besides, I'm pretty sure Dumbledore wants her to lay low. A lot can be learned by those whom others deem weak."

"I guess. Sirius said something about us all returning to Grimmauld Place this week. The Weasleys will be there too."

"Really? Why?"

"Because it's an incredibly safe place for us to gather without Voldemort finding out."

Silver nodded in reply. Hermes came flying through the window, landing near her head and proffering a large parcel and a letter.

 _Silver,_

 _I'm sorry to hear Harry got in a spot of trouble with the Ministry. I'm sure it will all work out. I've packed you a few things for your overnight stay as well as some mail addressed to you. Since you've been spending so much time away from home, they have accumulated. I'm making chicken salad for dinner tomorrow, so hopefully you'll be able to come over. There will be plenty to go around if you'd like to invite your friends. Rest well, and please stay hydrated in this heat._

 _Love,_

 _Margie_

Silver smiled as she put the letter down, making her way to the bathroom in order to change into her pajamas. When she returned, Harry had vanished. After a bit of searching, she found him in his room. There were various pictures along the walls, disrupted by a splash of Gryffindor colors here and there. His bed had a Quidditch theme: Snitches on the sheets, Quaffles and goal posts on the pillows, and brooms scattered throughout.

"Do you want to share the bed or take the couch in the living room? Personally, I wouldn't mind us sharing, though it'll probably get warm."

"We can ask Remus or Sirius to cast Cooling Charms on the sheets or something. Though, really, air conditioning would work just as well."

"Sirius broke the unit in the first week of moving in. Spellwork gone awry, I suppose. You'll have to get him to tell you the story."

"Hm, all right."

The two settled into bed side by side until Silver rolled to face Harry.

"Hey Harry?" She murmured into the night air.

"Yeah, Silver."

"I'm really glad you're still alive. Make sure you keep it that way. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Silver. See you in the morning."

The two fell asleep quickly for the first time since Cedric's death. Neither dreamed, which was a welcome relief from their nightmares.


	87. Chapter 87

**A/N So today's the last day of NaNoWriMo...I didn't meet the goal cuz life got in the way. Oh well, I made significant progress on the fic and my goal to finish it by the end of the year still stands. Thank you for your support!**

 **Chapter 87**

When the four arrived at Grimmauld Place the next morning, they were greeted with an unexpected sight: a cheerful Kreacher humming merrily as he swept the hall. He was donning a new uniform, similar to the Hogwarts elves but there was no tea cosy atop his head. The small apron tied around his waist bore two pockets, each with a different emblem. First was the Black coat of arms, a snake entwining leaves of silver. The other was of a raven in front of a gold, silver, black, and purple shield.

"Kreacher?" Silver asked. At the house-elf's inquisitive look she continued. "What has you in such a good mood?"

"Mistress left a detailed list of what Kreacher should do for the new guests. There is tea prepared if Miss Silver would like some." He bowed slightly and Apparated with a pop. Silver stared at the place he had occupied until she shrugged and went into the kitchen. It was much brighter than the last time she was there and she smiled slightly at the fresh flowers near the table. Harry had followed her in and was looking around with a befuddled expression. Remus stood at the doorway, reading the note that was posted before striding over to the kettle and pouring four steaming cups of tea with his wand. Sirius could be heard on the steps, calling after Kreacher angrily. Silver and Harry flinched, expecting Mrs. Black's shrieking at his blantant disregard for noise. When none came, they cautiously climbed the stairs. Sirius stood on the landing below where her portrait had hung. As the teens approached, he began climbing the stairs once more, giving up on his quest to find Kreacher.

"Where did she go?" Harry asked.

"New owner managed to get her settled elsewhere in the house. Don't ask me how because I have no bloody idea." Sirius replied. Spotting the painting, he broke out into a large grin. "I remember when she showed this one to me. It's one of my favorites, which is probably why she chose it to hang in Mum's place."

"New owner?" Harry questioned.

Didn't I tell you? The house was sold to my old friend. She's allowing us to use it for the Order under the condition that we make it homier, though the bloody elf seems to have started that already."

"Do you know why he seems like a completely different elf?" Silver asked.

"No idea, though she did visit a couple days ago with her final adjustments."

"What kind of adjustments?" Harry asked, leading the way back to the kitchen. He noticed the bags they left by the door were gone.

"Well dear old mum's portrait is now upstairs below the attic. There's another magical layer put into place, though I'm not sure what it does. She said there was something else but refused to tell me, wanting it to be a surprise."

"It's a hell of a surprise," Remus commented.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Come look." He led the way out of the kitchen into the attached drawing room, where the Black family tree was absent. On the wall instead were color swatches and a stack of papers on the desk, which seemed to have been moved from the living room. Harry picked up the papers and read the top few of them.

"They're design recommendations. Though I'm not sure how serious they are. Take a look at this one." He handed it to Remus who burst out laughing when he saw it before handing it to Sirius.

"'Swimming pool full of tea and praline furniture to curb Remus's sweet tooth. Chewable furniture for Padfoot to munch on, caramel flavored, of course. Dancing mermaids 'a la Little Mermaid surrounding a sinking ship...' I Don't know that last one."

It's a Muggle film that came out a few years ago. Basically they're topless women with fish tails," Silver replied, smirking at Sirius' dreamy expression.

"I wonder if she changed any other rooms?" Remus remarked.

"Not sure, but I know she left my old room alone since I was just up there," Sirius responded.

"How about we have some tea and then we can explore a bit, Harry?"

"All right. Does anyone know when the Weasleys' are coming?"

"No. I'm surprised they aren't here yet actually," Remus commented.

"I'll Floo call them after tea then," Silver replied, taking a careful sip from her cup

"There's no need to," Sirius returned. They heard a firm yet quiet knock on the front door, followed by a rush of frantic whispers when the door opened before the door clicked closed. A moment later, a the familiar flash of red hair came barreling in as the form of Mrs. Weasley. She was still whispering loudly to her children behind her shoulder.

"Leave the luggage at the foot of the steps we'll figure out the room situation later."

"Hi, Mrs. Weasley," Silver greeted, hugging the small woman. After doing so, she went out into the hallway and greeted Ron, Ginny, Fred and George.

She was immediately shushed by Mrs. Weasley who looked furtively towards the upstairs hallway.

There's no need to whisper. Why would we need to?" Silver asked.

"Dumbledore mentioned a portrait screeching at any sort of noise and told us to be cautious when entering the house." Mrs. Weasley replied.

"Oh, that's not an issue anymore. The owner took care of it. Come on, let's settle in the kitchen. Kreacher put on a kettle and if you guys haven't eaten yet we can have some breakfast."

"Oh that's sweet of you dear, but I fed the lot before we came."

"All right. Come on, Harry, let's explore while the adults talk." Silver grabbed his hand and began looking into each of the rooms with the Weasley children behind them. After everyone chose which rooms to occupy, Silver called for Kreacher to place the trunks in their respective places. Harry's was already in the room with Phineas' portrait, though it was empty when

Harry, Ron, and Ginny began talking to one other in the boys room while Silver went to check in on the twins, where they discussed the progress made on the products after Sirius and Harry's financial contributions.


	88. Chapter 88

**Well, I won't apologize for my long absence, but I hope you all are enjoying the story...I will be honest, I didn't re-read this after finishing off the chapter so lemme know if you see any mistakes.**

 **Chapter 88**

A few nights later, Silver found herself staring into the confines of her teacup, lost in thought. The kitchen was lit by a few candles, casting most of the room in shadow. Her sketchbook was sitting on the table next to her, within reach but unwanted. As Silver's eyes drifted to the flames of the nearest candle, it flickered slightly as the door from the sitting room was opened and another person entered the room. Remus sighed heavily as he sat next to her, preparing himself a cup of tea despite having come from the warmth of the summer night.

"Couldn't sleep?"

"How was patrol?" Silver returned, ignoring his question.

"Quiet, which is expected since Death Eater activity is slim to none presently. I'm not entirely sure why Dumbledore insists on nightly patrols when no one knows we're here."

"He wants Harry safe."

"He wants us all safe."

"Harry in particular, though. His scar's been bugging him more lately, which tells me he's got some sort of connection to Voldemort. I...don't remember if he's been more volatile in the past few weeks."

"You've been away. It's natural that you'd miss that. He's been a bit more moody lately, though I suspect it's more to do with the majority of the Wizarding world not believing him."

"I've been away? Margie mentioned that I hadn't been home much in her letter, and now you're saying I hadn't been with you? Why the hell can't I remember?"

Remus contemplated his answer as he blew on his tea, sipping it carefully. He knew that Crystal mentioned the gap in her memory and was unsure what to say that wouldn't alarm the teen or set something new in motion that wasn't in Crystal's plans. At that moment there was a whoosh from the Floo, which caused his eyebrows to furrow since there were only three places that it would come from, and Sirius was in their room upstairs.

"Who's at the Floo?" Silver wondered, getting up from the table and heading towards the door. Pushing it open, she stopped, causing Remus to look over her shoulder into the room instead of following her into it as originally planned. Standing there was Professor Snape, who was calmly brushing the Floo powder off of his robes. Silver's eyes scrunched a bit in confusion, seemingly at war with what to do. Professor Snape watched this with apathy, though his eyes flicked to Remus and back to her. The tension in the room grew since both men disliked each other, though Remus was much less hostile towards the black haired man than Sirius.

"Want some tea, Professor? Can put it over ice if you're coming from outside." Silver finally broke the silence, heading back into the kitchen. Both men followed her, with Remus sitting down next to her once more as he eyed the other man warily.

"I can make it myself." Professor Snape waved his wand a couple times and a cup of tea was prepared.

"Is there news of some sort, Severus?" Remus asked, a flick of worry in his eyes.

"Not presently. Our mutual...friend asked me to check on Miss Sullivan's mind for any signs of tampering."

"Are you talking about Crystal? I know she's back in London, I saw it in the paper."

"That is not your concern."

"Why did she send you instead of coming herself?" Silver pressed.

"Because viewing someone's mind is a highly personal thing, and since I trained you in Occlumency, it would be easier for me to see if there were changes."

"And you would know I was out of sorts...since you saw me last week," Silver remarked quietly.

"What do you remember since the end of term, Miss Sullivan?" Professor Snape's tone was carefully clear of emotion, his low timbre oddly calming. Remus watched the interaction curiously, as he hadn't seen them together since he was a teacher.

"I.." Silver stared into a candle flame once more, lost in thought. "I remember leaving before Dumbledore's speech about Cedric and Voldemort's rise."

"Where did you go?" Remus asked gently.

"Father. I went to find my father, at my parent's old estate. The Floo let me in, surprisingly."

"Was he there?" Remus asked.

"Not at first. I waited a while before he came into the sitting room. We talked a bit, since he seemed less hostile than usual."

"Than usual? I thought you hadn't seen him since you were a child?" Professor Snape asked, eyes narrowing slightly.

Silver flinched, seemingly at nothing before she turned on the bench and drew her legs up, effectively becoming a ball. Both men were surprised at this show of vulnerability.

"Remember last year when you came to with a bump on your head after we were supposed to meet?"

"Yes. I'm not likely to forget such an odd occurrence," Professor Snape bit out.

"Jasper was the one who knocked you out, before taking a bit of your hair and Polyjuicing himself into you. He must have seen that you were going to meet me on the calendar and wanted to interject. Or he was planning to confront Crouch Jr. about his lack of update."

"I see. Explain what happened, then."

"I figured out that he wasn't you as the potion wore off, and then confronted Jasper for information. I was a bit angry that he showed up out of nowhere and he responded in kind. He's a bit mad, to be honest, so it's difficult to know when his moments of sanity will come around. I...figured out he was there to check on Crouch, but let him go after Obliviating him. Then I woke you up, Professor." She propped her head on her knees, watching the two men warily.

"You knew Crouch was in the castle?" Professor Snape asked, his voice deadly.

"Yeah. Arrogance in thinking I knew what was best, I suppose. I knew that Voldmort needed to rise in order to fall, even if I don't know why. I was still in the throes of my violent dreams at that point."

"Arrogance is correct. He could have harmed a student or abused his authority."

Silver stayed silent, though her eyes burned in shame.

"After speaking with Jasper in the sitting room, we had a new guest arrive. I-" she cut off, eyes hazing over slightly as she fumbled for her thoughts. A few seconds later she spoke again.

"I'm sorry, what were we talking about?" She shifted on the bench to grab her teacup, taking a languid sip while the two men exchanged a glance.

"The time after term ended. You said you had visited your father," Professor Snape replied.

"Oh, yeah, I did that. Um...Not sure what happened after that, to be honest. Next thing I know I'm at Margie's with a killer headache. I remember seeing Draco and his father in Diagon Alley last week..I think I was with Jasper, though I don't know why. Something about potions?"

Her face was scrunched slightly in confusion, her body shrinking into itself once more. Both men waited, seeing if she'd say more as they sipped their tea.

"Do you want to examine my mind then, Professor? I feel like I'm missing time, and I'm quite frightened, honestly." Her voice was small and startlingly young.

"Lupin-" Professor Snape began.

"He stays." Silver's voice was firm, though still soft. "If Crystal didn't want him here, she wouldn't have sent you here at this time, since any friend of his knows his sleep cycle."

Remus looked at her in surprise. Not many knew that he had trouble sleeping the nights before the full moon.

"Very well, then. Remember to relax. I do not wish to harm you unintentionally."

Silver nodded and a moment later, Professor Snape flicked his wand. It took only five minutes of sifting through her memories until Professor Snape withdrew sharply. Silver gasped upon his exit, covering her ears with her hands and shaking uncontrollably.

"What's happening?" Remus drew his wand in alarm. Professor Snape was already flicking his wand with rapid hand motions.

"Mind is trying to self-destruct. There were magical traps in place that I had not expected."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Shut up and keep the other occupants out of the kitchen. Silver, fight it!" His voice growled, near panic. Remus was astonished at his reaction, since the Professor rarely showed any sort of emotion other than condescension.

Suddenly, Silver began to glow slightly in the darkened kitchen. Professor Snape's eyes widened marginally as his wand movements increased in speed. His voice began murmuring the spells, tying together into one string of words. He abruptly cut off when he heard Silver's quiet command to stop.

Slowly, the shaking stopped and the glowing faded into nothing. Both men watched her warily with their wands pointed towards her. Her eyes opened slowly as her eyes reflected the little light of the room. After a couple of lethargic blinks her eyes returned to their normal state. Remus sprang forward, catching her before she fell from the bench. Holding her in his arms bridal style, she looked up at him sleepily.

"Mind's all clear now, Rem. I'll tell you about it in the morning." She then cuddled into his chest and promptly fell asleep, trusting him to bring her to bed. Remus looked up at Snape with an inquiring look; after a few sweeps of his wand, he nodded his head. Snape's face had returned to its usual stoic expression.

"I shall return tomorrow afternoon." Snape then billowed out of the room and Floo'd out of the house without another word. Remus glared tiredly after him before putting Silver to bed, settling her under the blankets. He then crawled into his own bed with Sirius, where he fell asleep quite quickly despite all that plagued his mind.


	89. Chapter 89

**Chapter 89**

Silver awoke with a migraine, as when she heard Ginny puttering around the room in her usual considerate morning manner, every small noise felt like a hammer to her head. Groaning softly, Silver pulled the blankets farther above her head and muttered a silencing charm. When the silence she expected didn't happen, her eyes flicked open slightly in panic. After a moment, she had to close them completely once more as she tried and failed to block out Ginny's movements.

"Silver? Are you awake?" Ginny's voice was at its normal volume, but it sounded abnormally loud to Silver's ears. Silver gave a whimper in pain, which caused Ginny to move carefully to her friend's bed. She gently pulled back the blanket, despite Silver's death grip upon them. Silver's hands immediately went to cover her eyes before she rolled over and buried the upper part of her head into the pillow, effectively muffling both the light and the sound.

"What's wrong?" Ginny asked quietly, leaning over Silver in an attempt to feel her forehead.

"Migraine," Silver whispered.

Ginny's eyebrows scrunched in confusion, as she'd never heard the term before. Without another word, she replaced the blanket and left the room, turning off the lights. Silver sighed in relief, before she heard the boys of the house running around as only boys can do. She tried another silencing spell, before realizing that she didn't have her wand under her pillow and chanced a peek out of her cocoon to the bedside table, but didn't see its shadow there either. She gave into the pain for a few moments, as every sound she heard became magnified. Her heartbeat also thumped steadily in her head, causing even more pain to radiate throughout it.

Finally, the noise from the boys trekking up and down the stairs stopped and she heard a small pop next to her bed. Peeking out cautiously, she saw Kreacher standing there watching her with concern upon his wrinkled face. In his hands was a bucket of water and a washcloth. He carefully drew back the covers, pushing her to flip over onto her back as best as his gnarled hands could. Silver flipped over with a muted groan as she settled into her new position. Kreacher gently placed the cool washcloth over her forehead. With a flick of his fingers the sounds of the house became muted. Silver had the fleeting thought that it was odd that he was allowed to use magic, but it vanished before she had a hold on it. The room also became darker somehow, and though she felt his presence he remained silent.

Slowly, the pain receded to more tolerable levels by the time Kreacher placed a third washcloth upon her head. He popped out of the room for a few moments, returning with a tray of toast, water, and fruit. He carefully guided her to sit up, propping up the pillows so that she could sit back. Silver began to eat, thoroughly chewing the food to lessen any jostling of her head. After she was done, she gulped down two more glasses of water and felt relatively normal once more. There was still a bit of pain, but it had dulled to nothing more than a nudge in the background. As she handed Kreacher the empty glass, she murmured a thank you before he bowed slightly and popped out of the room. She got dressed and padded quietly to the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face. The silencing spell that was on the bedroom broke the moment she opened the door, and when she returned from the bathroom she noticed that it was lighter as well.

When she went downstairs, she headed for the sitting room instead of the kitchen where she could hear her friends chattering. She smiled at the underwater theme on the walls, recently charmed there by Remus. The seashells and sea creatures moved languidly along the walls, waving at her as she entered. Sitting on the couch, she found herself mesmerized by their movements and memorized the pattern that they took. The Floo activated, causing her to start slightly as she shifted her gaze to the new arrival. Professor Snape studied her for a moment before speaking.

"How is your head?"

"Much better than it was this morning. How did you know?"

"You did powerful magic to keep the traps from damaging your mind. It was bound to have some lasting effects. Where is Lupin?"

"Not sure, though I'm sure the people in the kitchen would be able to tell you. I've only been sitting here for a few minutes. I haven't been noticed yet."

"Well, how can you expect to be noticed when you're hiding in a room adorned with sea creatures?" He looked at the walls with a sneer on his face. Silver giggled quietly, causing his gaze to flick towards her once more.

"I'm hardly hiding, Professor. And I happen to like the sea creatures. I've got a feeling Remus decided on it for my benefit. He'll change it again in a couple weeks, I reckon."

"Silver? Is that you I hear?" Mrs. Weasley bustled into the room, barely giving Professor Snape a second glance before carefully looking over Silver.

"Hi, Mum."

"Oh, dear, are you feeling better? Ginny told me you had a- what was it called again?"

"A migraine, Mum. It has passed without incident, thanks to Kreacher. It's a type of severe headache. Makes the patient incredibly sensitive to sound or light. There are varying degrees of them, but the one I had was the worst I've ever experienced."

"Well, I'm glad you're all right. Do let me know if you need anything, dear."

"Of course, Mum. Do you know where Remus is?"

"I believe he's upstairs in the library with Sirius."

"Thanks." Silver strode across the room and gave Mrs. Weasley a kiss on the cheek before leaving. Professor Snape nodded to her as he followed Silver up the stairs. He paused on the landing where Mrs. Black used to hang.

"Where did her portrait go?" He traced the lines of the intricate painting with his eyes as he awaited a reply.

"Upstairs, just below the attic. I think the Black family tree is in that same room, though I can't be sure. It's warded off from the rest of the house, at the moment. I saw Kreacher go into it the other day and heard Mrs. Black's voice."

"Who removed the portrait? I thought it had been unmovable despite Black's efforts."

"Crystal did, though no one knows how. You'd have to ask her for the specifics. Come on, I'm sure you have other things to do today, Professor."

She led the rest of the way to the library, where she heard the quiet hum of Remus and Sirius's voices. After knocking, she was admitted in with a call from Remus. Professor Snape followed her in and the door closed behind them.

"Hi ,Remus. Hi, Sirius," Silver greeted, giving them each a hug. She settled onto a nearby chair before Professor Snape gave his own curt nod to each of the men. Sirius's return glare was expected, though Silver's glare in return was not. He blanched for a moment until she spoke.

"I don't care that you used to be rivals in school. We're here to discuss the events of last night, of which you weren't present for, Sirius. If you would like to stay, you're more than welcome, but I ask that you not act derisively towards the man who helped me. That goes for you too, Professor. I know both of you are grown men and I'm merely a teenager, and you have no reason to listen to me, but I am hopeful that you will."

After the men begrudgingly agreed to attempt to be civil, Silver continued.

"When Professor Snape accidentally triggered the mental traps, I was overwhelmed by voices and images of an incredible magnitude. Everything was pushing into the recesses of my mind, and things were starting to disappear. I felt Professor Snape's spells penetrating ever so slightly, but it was his voice telling me to fight that drove me to taking action."

She paused for a few minutes, collecting her thoughts.

"I began the process I take for my Occulmency, which is to center my mind in a meditative state the best that I can and expel any and all thoughts away before visualizing an object or phrase. I focus on that thing and nothing else, causing any other thoughts to essentially bounce off of it, whether they be mine or someone else's. I pushed the traps out, and in the process managed to extract my suppressed memories, I think. I'll need to be tested for lasting damage of my magical core, since it feels different than it used to."

"You can feel your own magical core?" Sirius asked incredulously.

"Sure. Can't you?"

"Not that I know of, love. I've never heard of a witch or wizard being able to do that."

"It is uncommon, but has been documented in our histories, particularly in the studies of animagi magic or Divination," Professor Snape remarked. "Perhaps you are stunted, Black," he added with a sneer.

Sirius visibly shook as he restrained himself from making a biting comment in return.

"So you remember what's happened these few weeks now?" Sirius asked instead.

"I haven't had a chance to reflect upon the missing memories, but I did feel something unlock in my mind last night so I believe the memories have returned."

"You said you remember seeing me last week. Do you remember where?" Professor Snape asked, his deep timbre resonating through the room. Silver thought for a few moments before nodding.

"In Jasper's dining room. There was a meeting that you were required to attend. I still don't remember the specifics since I was sitting in the corner with a muffling charm of some sort around me."

"A precaution for this reason. Being under the control of the Dark Lord is not easy, and he noticed how unique you were in resisting most of his regular methods."

"She was being controlled by Voldemort?!" Sirius exclaimed.

"Yes, though the majority of her functions were her own. The only thing he or Jasper had managed to tamper with was her memories."

"Why didn't you rescue her? Or tell someone?" Remus asked, voice carefully controlled.

"I shared the information with the Headmaster, as that is my duty. I was instructed to take no action except to gather more intel about her movements."

"Hence why you followed me fairly frequently. I never brought it up because I figured the Dark Lord had instructed you to keep an eye on me since you're an incredibly skilled wizard."

The group was silent as they became lost in their own thoughts.

"I'll make record of the things I remember hearing or seeing these past few weeks. Can you please inform the Headmaster that I am myself once again, Professor?"

"I had already planned to do so, Miss Sullivan."

"Brilliant. I'm going to go find Harry and spend some time with him before this place is overrun with Order business."

She left the room quickly, leaving the men behind to converse a bit more about all that had happened.


End file.
